I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1278:

1639. Xuanluo Heavenly Battle Array had directly turned into a prisoner’s trap

Old Jin stood at a distance, observing the icy gaze of the Xi Yuan Saintess. A flicker of remorse and apology crossed his eyes, but his features quickly settled into a mask of calm indifference.

The strategy for this evening had been meticulously debated and verified as foolproof before the Xi Yuan Saintess was ever invited. Regardless of her immense power, escaping their coordinated ambush was deemed impossible.

“My actions are for the greater good; I trust you can grasp my reasoning,” Old Jin spoke unhurriedly. “This plan was coordinated with Lord Chu and the others. Your life is not in danger. If you doubt my word, I will pledge my own life as security.”

“Once these matters are concluded, I shall travel to the Xi Yuan Sacred Hall in person to offer my apologies. Should your Master, Senior Xi Nv, return, I will provide a full explanation. I am confident she will understand the necessity.”

Standing beside him, Chu Gucheng maintained a serene expression as he spoke, “I resorted to these extreme measures only because there was no other choice. I ask for the Xi Yuan Saintess's patience. Once the threats to the Xian Chu Hao Earth and the Xi Yuan civilization are neutralized, I will submit myself to your judgment without protest.”

Behind him, Chu Xin Yue felt a pang of guilt, but she suppressed it instantly. She believed that those who achieve greatness must not be hindered by trivial emotions. Every action she took was dedicated to the survival of the Xian Chu Hao Earth and the Xi Yuan civilization.

The Law Saint remained a blurred silhouette, his features obscured. Though the aged figure remained silent, the oppressive aura radiating from him made his allegiance clear.

The Xi Yuan Saintess surveyed the group with a freezing stare. Her robes billowed and her hair whipped in the wind as a violent aura surged within her. Countless manifestations of mystical light danced in her elegant hands, conjuring visions of shifting clouds, the rotation of the four seasons, the cycle of reincarnation, and the roar of thunder—all representing the profound and cryptic laws of the universe.

She had arrived at the banquet with a degree of suspicion. Gu Changge’s previous warnings had left her unsettled, yet she hadn't truly believed the Xian Chu Hao Earth would possess the audacity to strike against her.

It was only when Chu Gucheng dropped his mask and demanded the Reincarnation Mirror that she realized this "peace banquet" was nothing more than a calculated snare.

From the beginning, Chu Gucheng’s desire for the Reincarnation Mirror had never wavered.

In the preceding days, he had utilized Chu Xin Yue to befriend her and lower her defenses, all to set the stage for tonight. But she wondered what gave Chu Gucheng the confidence to attempt such a feat.

Even if he succeeded in trapping her, he could never force her to surrender the Reincarnation Mirror through sheer will.

To the Xi Yuan Saintess, such a gamble appeared utterly moronic.

“Chu Gucheng, as the sovereign of a nation, you have chosen a path of idiocy. You must weigh the fallout of your actions,” the Xi Yuan Saintess declared coldly. Celestial light bathed her form, and the resonance of the great Dao vibrated around her. Within her palms, delicate yet vast forces swirled, as if she held the weight of the firmament itself.

Her image became hazy, appearing as though she could support the burden of every world. She radiated a sacred transcendence that compelled onlookers to bow in reverence.

This immense and terrifying pressure caused the expressions of everyone in the palace to shift slightly.

“The Xi Yuan Saintess has indeed progressed beyond the eighth tribulation of the Heavenly Decay. If it were merely the few of us, we might fail to contain her,” Old Jin remarked in a low voice, a hint of envy flickering in his eyes.

The Xi Yuan Saintess was an undeniable genius. Despite being of a younger generation, her Cultivation had already outstripped veterans like himself.

Had she brought the Reincarnation Mirror with her, they would likely be powerless against her.

Chu Gucheng’s face stayed grim as he commanded, “I call upon everyone to assist me in binding and sealing her.”

The Star-Illuminating Elder from Yin Xu Cave possessed eyes of pure white, yet they seemed to gather brilliant starlight, projecting a crushing sense of majesty.

“The Xuanluo Heavenly Battle Array is a secret formation unique to our Yin Xu Cave. She will find her true power suppressed. Together, capturing her will be effortless,” she stated with indifference.

Though the Saintess’s power surprised her, she remained unconcerned, placing absolute faith in her Sect's array.

As she spoke, the festive hall began to warp. The space itself seemed to churn and rotate, mimicking a violent, crashing sea.

A thick, chaotic mist swallowed the environment, making it feel as though they had plunged into an ancient void. Reality blurred, and massive pillars inscribed with chaotic Dao principles erupted in every corner of the space.

The once-opulent palace was replaced by a ruined battlefield under an ink-black sky, choked by dense fog.

Dark chains, forged from the rarest Dao gold, coiled around each towering pillar. Even a tiny shard of this metal was heavy enough to crush a universe.

Chu Gucheng and his allies had prepared this grand formation long before her arrival. To entrap someone whose Cultivation far exceeded a standard Ancestor Dao realm practitioner, they had spared no effort.

These Dragon Lock Pillars were heritage treasures of the Xian Chu Hao Earth, designed to bind true dragons of the Ancestor Dao realm. By deploying four of them, Chu Gucheng had signaled his absolute resolve.

The Xi Yuan Saintess felt a flicker of shock. She had clearly underestimated Chu Gucheng's desperation, not expecting him to deploy such a formation just to seize her.

The palace had been encased in a Xumi Realm—an illusion that made it invisible to the outside world while shifting it into a different pocket of time and space. This ensured that the shockwaves of their conflict would not alert the public.

She hadn’t sensed the shift earlier, likely due to the subtle expertise of the Star-Illuminating Elder.

But words were now useless. The Xi Yuan Saintess's expression turned frigid as she struck out with her hand.

Billions of rays of twilight light enveloped her, manifesting into a pool of Dao laws, a mountain of thunder, and a celestial city. Simultaneously, she called forth an ancient, four-legged bronze tripod. Its surface was etched with primordial rituals, sacrifices, and spirits taking shape amidst morning mists.

These carvings suddenly surged into life as terrifying beasts. True dragons, Pixiu, Xie Niu, and Taowu manifested as if leaping from the river of time, their murderous intent filling the air as they charged at Chu Gucheng and the others.

With a deafening roar, Chu Gucheng, the Law Saint, and the rest did not hesitate. They unleashed their most potent techniques to subdue the Xi Yuan Saintess.

The Star-Illuminating Elder remained stationary, her lips moving in a silent incantation.

In this hidden realm, the heavens themselves seemed to obey her. Radiant silver starlight swirled around her form.

The area ignited with a searing light born of divine refinement. It spiraled toward the Saintess like willow silk, weaving a cage intended to bind her.

Simultaneously, dazzling Dao symbols manifested in the void, carrying the ultimate truths of the world. Their appearance brought visions of world-ending thunder and fire, the splitting of chaos, and the birth of new realms.

Every person present had reached a Cultivation level beyond the Ancestor Dao realm, possessing an unfathomable grasp of the Dao.

At their level, a single thought could manifest a Dao principle or forge a new path of existence.

Their techniques were beyond logic, capable of creating or evolving life with a mere whim.

Around the Law Saint, shimmering particles of light emerged. Each was a concentrated burst of energy that bloomed like fireworks before expanding into miniature worlds that hurtled toward the Saintess.

Contained within those tiny worlds were the cycles of birth and destruction of entire realms.

“The Dao follows the course of nature,” the Law Saint murmured, his ancient face reflecting the myriad facets of life. He pressed his hand downward, causing the energy particles to coalesce into a massive, shimmering character for "Dao."

Boom!

The bronze cauldron summoned by the Saintess shook violently upon impact with the Dao character. A series of thunderous cracks echoed as the summoned beasts were vaporized into a rain of light.

Chu Gucheng joined the fray, his body radiating a blinding brilliance. A towering, hazy silhouette of the Human Emperor materialized behind him, mirroring his features and exuding a heavy, regal pressure. Every strike he made was infused with the weight of the Dao, aiming to overwhelm the Saintess.

The Xi Yuan Saintess remained composed, her hair flying as she stood suspended in the air. With a sharp strike of her palm, the void seemed to dissolve into chaos. Energy boiled and then vanished into nothingness. She moved with the force of an entire world, her power pushing back against her attackers.

In this moment, she was no longer a tranquil goddess but an invincible female war deity. She was fierce, dominant, and unyielding. Even against the combined might of Chu Gucheng, the Law Saint, and Old Jin, her aura did not falter.

The battlefield was a storm of chaos. The Saintess utilized her supreme techniques, her very body appearing to merge with the Dao. She created multiple avatars to clash with her enemies, each collision causing the void to shudder.

However, despite her prowess, the strain of fighting multiple Ancestor Dao experts simultaneously began to show.

The Star-Illuminating Elder had yet to engage directly. She focused entirely on managing the formation, constantly suppressing the Saintess’s power and preventing her from reaching her full potential.

While Chu Gucheng used the Human Emperor's image, he refrained from tapping into the national fortune of the Xian Chu Hao Earth. Such an act would have caused tremors felt across the entire realm, exposing their secret.

They focused on finding gaps in her defense, hoping to drain her stamina. Under this relentless pressure, the Xi Yuan Saintess eventually faltered, coughing up blood as her defenses were breached.

Seizing the moment, Chu Gucheng’s hand glowed with billions of Dao laws as he landed a devastating palm strike. The Saintess gasped as she was sent reeling through the void, her white robes stained with crimson.

Old Jin’s hand shimmered with stardust that transformed into a divine whip. It lashed out with a howl, carrying destructive Dao energy that left a jagged, bloody wound on her.

The Xi Yuan Saintess cried out in pain, her eyes filling with cold fury.

Using this opening, the Star-Illuminating Elder’s white eyes flared with a blinding light.

“Go,” she commanded. With a flick of her hand, the floating Dao symbols swarmed the Saintess, striking her mid-air.

These living symbols embedded themselves into her body like ancient seals. Her aura immediately began to fade, and her strength plummeted.

The sound of heavy metal filled the air as the chains from the Dragon Lock Pillars shot forth at the Elder’s command, making the void tremble.

Blood dripped from the Saintess's lips as she tried to evade the chains despite the agony. But the chains moved with a will of their own, heavy as the spines of dragons. Phantasms of true dragons roared as they coiled around her limbs and torso, intent on binding her permanently.

The Saintess's arms glowed with Dao symbols as she struggled to shatter her bonds.

However, the Dragon Lock Pillars flared with ancient runes, releasing a web of ordered chains that anchored her, dragging her down from the sky.

“This cannot be…” she whispered in shock, finding her power suppressed to the point where she was helpless to resist.

She was forced to the ground, her hair disheveled over her beautiful face. With blood staining her lips and dress, she looked battered and humiliated—a sight rarely seen.

At the sight of her defeat, Chu Gucheng, Old Jin, and the others finally smiled with triumph.

“Do you know the origin of Yin Xu Cave’s Xuanluo Heavenly Battle Array?” the Star-Illuminating Elder asked, her voice biting. “Eons ago, a master named Xuanluo Tianzun nearly reached the pinnacle of the Dao. Our master slew him and used his Dao fruit to create this formation. Not even one who has endured nine tribulations of the Heavenly Decay can escape its reach.”

“My personal strength may be less than yours, but with this array, capturing you is as simple as drawing breath.”

Though blind, the Elder perceived everything. She looked down at the bound Saintess with a mocking sneer, deriding her for her perceived arrogance.

The Xi Yuan Saintess realized the truth. The pillars alone couldn't hold her; it was the specific runes and the domain field that were neutralizing her Cultivation. She had been overconfident, believing that after eight tribulations, no one in the Xi Yuan civilization could touch her. She hadn't expected Chu Gucheng to be so thoroughly prepared.

She remembered Gu Changge’s warning and felt a wave of frustration and regret. Had she been more cautious of the Xian Chu Hao Earth, she wouldn't be in this position. Without this specific trap and the combined ambush, they never could have subdued her.

“Senior, your methods are indeed effective,” the Saintess said, her voice returning to a calm tone as she regained her composure.

She knew Chu Gucheng lacked the nerve to kill her. Even trapped, she remained confident. Her Master was the founder of the Xi Yuan Sacred Hall, a legendary ancient sage. Though her Master had been missing for ages, no one knew if she had perished or was simply wandering the distant reaches of space-time.

Even if the Xian Chu Hao Earth took the Reincarnation Mirror, they wouldn't dare risk the wrath of such a figure.

“My thanks to you, Senior Xing Ying,” Chu Gucheng said, seeing the Saintess settle. A victory smile spread across his face.

After thanking the Star-Illuminating Elder, he addressed the Saintess. “Today’s actions were an unfortunate necessity, but I will ensure you are properly compensated and offered an apology later.”

As she had guessed, his only goal was the Reincarnation Mirror to save his kingdom from its current crisis.

The Xi Yuan Saintess gave him a frigid look and said nothing. She closed her eyes and began to meditate to heal her wounds. She expected him to try and coerce her for the mirror, but she doubted he had the spine to use her life as a hostage against the Sacred Hall.