I Am the Fated Villain - Chapter 295
Chapter 295: It’s hard not to have any jealousy, Yin Mei’s so-called means
Half a month had passed since the initiation of the True Immortal Academy’s trial. During this period, Gu Changge had kept a low profile, with even his numerous followers seldom catching sight of him.
Some speculated that Gu Changge had journeyed to the site of the Absolute Heavenly Extinction to combat the Heavenly Extinction creatures. Others claimed he was in seclusion, honing a potent divine skill.
Various stories and conjectures circulated, yet none dared to approach him to confirm the truth. Even the Lord of Vermilion Bird Country remained silent and reverent.
At present, within the Vermilion Bird Imperial Capital, within a grand pavilion, Su Qingge and Ji Qingxuan sat facing each other.
“Sister, are you planning to depart now?” Ji Qingxuan’s eyes betrayed her surprise. She hadn’t anticipated that Su Qingge’s first declaration upon arrival would be her intention to leave. Did this imply that their identity swap would persist for a prolonged period?
“Well, currently the Wang family won’t be causing you any trouble. So, I’ll take the opportunity to assume your identity and visit our mother at the Ji family. I haven’t seen her in years, and this seems like the perfect chance,” Su Qingge explained, her expression tinged with complexity.
“During this time, did Master not suspect anything?”
“No,” Ji Qingxuan shook her head, a smile of satisfaction lighting up her face. “Master has been quite kind to me. However, I haven’t seen him in days; it appears he’s left the Vermilion Bird Imperial Capital and headed to the location of the Absolute Heavenly Extinction eruption.”
“Is that so?” Su Qingge nodded, her emotions difficult to discern at that moment. Why would she feel a pang of jealousy towards her own sister, especially when she was presently assuming her identity?
“By the way… Sister, I have something I need to tell you,” Ji Qingxuan’s typically composed demeanor suddenly faltered, replaced by a hint of nervousness. Her expression took on a shy and embarrassed air.
“What is it?” Su Qingge responded, her suspicion piqued. A foreboding sensation crept over her unexpectedly.
“It’s… It’s about that day… I… I…” Ji Qingxuan cast a furtive glance at her sister, her discomfort evident. She hadn’t meant to broach this subject, but she feared that if they reverted to their original identities later, Gu Changge might notice something amiss. Hence, she felt compelled to confide in Su Qingge.
“What?” Su Qingge’s mind reeled as if struck by lightning. A pallor washed over her face, intensifying the growing dread in her heart. Gu Changge had never made advances on her before. Why, then, after assuming Ji Qingxuan’s identity, was he now acting so differently?
“Could it be that Master already knows…” Su Qingge’s sharp mind quickly made the connection, though she clung to a sliver of hope, chalking it up to coincidence.
“Sister, I’m sorry…” Ji Qingxuan apologized, her voice tinged with remorse.
“It’s not your fault.” After a prolonged silence, Su Qingge waved her hand, forcing herself to regain composure despite the surge of jealousy coursing through her.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. What if she allowed her sister to take her place and remain by Gu Changge’s side? After all, Gu Changge was the paragon of righteousness, while she, as the inheritor of demonic arts, was fated to stand in opposition to him. Perhaps she could exploit the fact that Gu Changge was unaware of her true identity. Otherwise, she dreaded facing the consequences in the future.
“Qingxuan, I may not return for quite some time,” Su Qingge spoke calmly, her decision made. “If Master were to discover the truth in the interim, you must tell him that Qingge has betrayed his trust…”
With those words, she vanished from the scene, leaving Ji Qingxuan momentarily bewildered. At the end, she thought she saw tears welling in her sister’s eyes. What secrets was Su Qingge harboring? Did she truly harbor such deep-seated bitterness and resentment?
….
At the same time, in the Xuanwu ancient city, a bustling hub where the major ancient kingdoms converged, spiritual cultivators of all kinds could be found. Here, one could encounter novice cultivators embarking on their journey as well as ascetic practitioners who had remained immobile for centuries. The city thrived, accommodating nearly ten million souls.
Within the city stood a glorious, resplendent hall. A strikingly beautiful woman with natural white fox-like features commanded a group of maids before her, overseeing their tasks. Her visage was ethereal, flawless, and her eyes sparkled as if capable of enchanting anyone who met her gaze. With nine fluffy snow-white foxtails in hand, she frowned slightly. “Pick up the pace, why does it take so long to gather this information?”
“Miss, please bear with us,” several maids hurriedly responded. “Most of the details regarding this Chu Hao seem deliberately obscured; we’re having difficulty uncovering them.”
“Can’t find out?” The white-clad woman furrowed her brow, a hint of disbelief coloring her expression. “Are there truly matters in this world beyond the reach of the Wan Dao Business Alliance? I managed to unearth the scandal of the Gu family; how can information on a mere third prince of the Vermilion Bird Ancient Kingdom elude me?”
“It seems unnecessary to delve deeper, Yin Mei,” a young man’s voice resonated from behind the hall’s curtain. “I already have an inkling of who’s aiding Chu Hao.”
“Master already knows?” Yin Mei was slightly taken aback but refrained from further inquiry. She gestured for her maids to depart.
“I do. It’s likely someone affiliated with the Wan Dao Business Alliance,” Gu Changge remarked calmly as he sipped his fragrant tea, relishing its flavor. “Your tea-brewing skills never disappoint,” he added, his mood buoyant.
Unable to gather information within the Vermilion Bird Ancient Kingdom, Gu Changge surmised that the individual aiding Chu Hao was no simple accomplice, adept at concealing their tracks. Hence, he hastened to the Holy Spirit Ancient City, where a branch of the Wan Dao Merchant Alliance was located, enabling him to summon Yin Mei.
“Since you enjoy it, I’ll make it for you every day,” Yin Mei responded with a smile, understanding her limited ability to assist Gu Changge even with improved cultivation. Despite many factions joining the Dao sects in recent years, the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan retained dominance, owing to their ancient lineage.
Gu Changge casually picked up a jade slip containing his suspicions regarding the aiding party behind Chu Hao. Through meticulous elimination and scrutiny, he had pinpointed Tang Wan as the likely culprit. Though she adeptly evaded detection, her connection to the Vermilion Bird Kingdom left traces.
“How much do you know about this Tang Wan?” Gu Changge inquired, confident in his deduction process. By cross-referencing age and past residence in the Vermilion Bird Kingdom, he swiftly identified Tang Wan as the prime suspect. Her cleverness in eluding suspicion didn’t negate her past presence in the kingdom.
Moreover, Tang Wan remained unaware of Yin Mei’s allegiance to Gu Changge, further complicating her attempts to conceal her involvement.
“Tang Wan has quite the knack for maneuvering,” Yin Mei began, divulging her knowledge of Tang Wan’s background to Gu Changge. “She entered the business alliance centuries ago, and her family holds significant sway within the Wan Dao Business Alliance. Her grandfather heads a branch alliance, commanding a cadre of skilled experts.”
“A branch alliance head holds considerable power,” Gu Changge remarked casually. The Wan Dao Business Alliance, being one of the largest business conglomerates in the Upper Realm, wielded influence across vast territories, commanding respect even from leaders of immortal great sects.
“Did Tang Wan offend you, young master?” Yin Mei inquired, adding, “I’ve heard she has a younger brother, Tang Tian, who’s rather insolent and overbearing. The Tang family seems to indulge him.”
“A younger brother?” Gu Changge’s smile took on a deeper meaning. “That might prove useful.”
“What’s Tang Wan’s transgression? Why oppose me?” he pondered aloud.
“Should we eliminate her?” Yin Mei asked dutifully. “Anyone who challenges their master’s authority deserves punishment.”
“Indeed,” Gu Changge nodded in agreement. “Those who defy their master must face the consequences.”
…
“Young master, word has it that the Drunken Immortal House received a new shipment of goods. Would you care to inspect them?” A butler-like figure accompanied a young man with a frivolous demeanor and sunken eyes as they strolled through the bustling street.
“What sort of goods could the Drunken Immortal House possibly offer?” Tang Tian, the young man, responded dismissively, his gaze drifting mostly toward young female cultivators passing by.
The butler, maintaining a deferential smile, inquired, “Shall we investigate nonetheless, young master?”
Tang Tian sneered. “Why bother with the offerings of such an establishment?”
Although he appeared to be strolling alone, a retinue of cultivators exuding powerful auras trailed behind him in the shadows, ensuring his safety.
“I heard that the latest shipment from the Drunken Immortal House supposedly originates from the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan,” the affluent man remarked, his smile still intact.
“The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan?” Tang Tian’s eyes widened with curiosity. “Is that true? Isn’t the clan highly protective of their goods? How did they end up at the Drunken Immortal Building?”
Despite his cavalier demeanor, Tang Tian wasn’t foolish. He understood the rarity of encountering the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Clan, an ancient lineage renowned for its stunningly beautiful women.
“No need to fret, young master. It’s rumored that these goods were expelled from the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan,” the rich man reassured with fervor. “You can rest assured.”
Tang Tian emitted a cold snort. “If you’re lying to me, you’ll regret it.”
“I dare not deceive you, young master. Your status commands respect,” the rich man quickly interjected.
“Good. Make sure you understand that,” Tang Tian replied tersely before hastening towards the Drunken Immortal Building.
Upon arrival, under the rich man’s direction, Tang Tian beheld a young girl of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox race confined in a room on the second floor. Her demeanor conveyed fear and unease, speaking volumes without uttering a word.
However, a peculiar sight greeted him— the maiden was bound and gagged.
“Her temperament may be stubborn, but there’s no cause for concern, young master. Once it’s over, I hope you’ll put in a good word for me with Miss Wan,” the rich man hurriedly explained.
“Fine, fine. Now leave,” Tang Tian dismissed the man with impatience, outwardly displaying no inkling of suspicion.
As for flattering his sister? Would he dare utter such words?
“Then I won’t disturb you any longer, young master,” the rich man concluded with a smile before exiting the room.
“The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox maiden truly lives up to her reputation. Such grace, such allure…” Tang Tian’s excitement was palpable as he prepared to make a move.
Suddenly, a menacing aura emanated from outside the Drunken Immortal Building, threatening to obliterate everything in its path, infused with fury and icy coldness.
“Who dares to interrupt my enjoyment?” Tang Tian’s irritation flared, but his indignation swiftly turned to alarm as he heard several agonized screams outside—cries of the cultivators who had been covertly guarding him.
“How dare you lay a hand on my attendants!” A chilling, melodious voice rang out, accompanied by a surge of sword energy that rent the air apart, shattering the Drunken Immortal Building in an instant.
Faces of onlookers in the street contorted in shock as they hastily retreated. In the sky above, a woman clad in white descended, her countenance icy and her sword hovering behind her, radiating a formidable aura capable of freezing the heavens.
In the darkness, some powerful cultivators failed to react in time and were impaled by the sword, their beings disintegrated, leaving naught but ash in their wake.
“Boss Zhu, what’s happening here?” Tang Tian’s unease mounted, his complexion pale as he hurriedly emerged from the room to confront the rich man.
In his heart, panic surged. What was happening here? Could something have gone terribly wrong? Was there something amiss with this young girl from the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan? Yet, Tang Tian couldn’t muster a timely response. Upon stepping out of the room, the scene before him left him thunderstruck, rendering him frozen in disbelief.
“You lying scum, stop spewing your filth…” Tang Tian’s rage erupted, his features contorted in a grotesque display of fury. But the rich man remained unfazed, dropping to his knees without acknowledging Tang Tian’s outburst. Fear, regret, and panic coursed through him as he pleaded for mercy, shifting blame and absolving himself of guilt.
“All of this was at Lord Tang Tian’s behest! I had no choice…” he whimpered, his voice trembling with dread. “I beg forgiveness, Heavenly Maiden! Spare me!”
“Tang Tian, you’ve overstepped your bounds, daring to lay hands on my attendant!” The woman in white’s demeanor grew increasingly frigid, her long sword poised threateningly in the air.
“It’s all a misunderstanding! I knew nothing of this! It was all orchestrated by shopkeeper Zhu, he framed me…” Tang Tian’s voice quivered with fear and anger as he attempted to justify himself.
He recognized the woman before him as the goddess of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan—her visage renowned for its captivating allure, revered by countless admirers. Moreover, she wielded the authority of the Wan Dao Business Alliance. How could a libertine like him dare to provoke such a formidable figure?
The woman’s expression turned even icier as she spoke, her voice cutting like a blade. “Whom should I believe? Or are you all attempting to deceive me? You abducted my attendant. Had I not left a trace on her, she would have suffered unspeakable horrors at your hands!”
Though her words were measured, they resonated throughout the street, sending shockwaves through the onlookers.
Upon hearing the commotion, numerous cultivators and beings in the vicinity were astonished, quickly piecing together the sequence of events. Tang Tian’s notorious reputation made it plausible that he could commit such an act, but attacking the maid of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan was audacious beyond belief.
“I’m being framed! Goddess, your maid is still upstairs. If you don’t believe me, go ask her yourself,” Tang Tian pleaded desperately, his face drained of color as he grasped at a lifeline, convinced that the rich man had set him up.
“Very well, I’ll grant you that chance. But if you deceive me, the Tang family won’t be able to shield you,” the woman in white retorted, her voice icy with disdain.
She swiftly entered the room, and moments later, a beam of sword light freed the captive Nine-Tailed Heavenly clan maiden.
“Miss, save me!” the girl implored tearfully. “Tang Tian is vile and deceitful. He even had someone knock me unconscious. If you hadn’t arrived when you did, I dread to think what would have happened…”
The girl’s revelation incited fury among the onlookers, condemning Tang Tian as the lowest of scoundrels. His complexion drained of blood upon hearing her testimony, a chill coursing through his body as he collapsed to the ground.
In that moment, he realized his predicament: he had been outmaneuvered.
“Tang Tian, what explanation do you have now?” the woman in white demanded coldly.
…
“These days, there seem to be fewer creatures in the Absolute Heavenly Extinction. It appears the True Immortal Academy’s prodigies still serve some purpose,” remarked Chu Hao as he materialized on a distant mountain, far from the ancient Vermillion Bird Kingdom’s territory.
The monstrous gray fog ahead of him dissipated instantly as his palm descended, vanishing like snow under the scorching sun
With only one step remaining to enter the Supreme Realm, Chu Hao’s strength was formidable. Dealing with the Absolute Heavenly creatures was a breeze, but contending with the heavenly extinction energy proved challenging, requiring significant effort on his part to eradicate it.
Amidst the turmoil, Chu Hao observed numerous geniuses from the True Immortal Academy engaged in fierce combat with the Heavenly Extinction creatures. Recognizing this as the trial of the Zhenxian Academy, he paid it little heed.
“At this pace, the calamity of Absolute Heavenly Extinction should soon be quelled,” Chu Hao thought to himself, exhaling a sigh of relief and offering a rare smile.
In the distance, a group of geniuses radiated divine brilliance, their auras awe-inspiring and majestic.
“The followers of Gu Changge…” Chu Hao murmured, noting their presence. “It appears Gu Changge has also arrived.”
Frowning, Chu Hao opted to depart in a different direction, preferring not to encounter Gu Changge at this juncture.
“Chu Hao is indeed present. The master’s speculation was accurate,” remarked a young Yaksha among the group of geniuses. With a smirk, he promptly relayed this information to Gu Changge using a communication jade talisman.
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