I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1288:

In a desperate bid for survival, they sought an audience with the leader of the Alliance of Heavenly Attack.

The friction between the God General faction and the Champion Marquis was common knowledge within the imperial capital of the Heavenly Chu Haotu. However, the God General faction’s brazen and shameful actions on the very day of the Champion Marquis’s departure stunned everyone. To prevent a total collapse of order, Emperor Chu Gucheng intervened to shield the God General faction, even going so far as to dispatch his own elite agents to eliminate Han Feng, the trusted confidant of Champion Marquis Chu Heng.

The capital was thrown into chaos by this revelation, leaving many cultivators and citizens in a state of disbelief. That same day, the Martial God General made a public appearance to solemnly declare that his faction had no part in the matter. He insisted that while they had their differences with the Champion Marquis, they would never stoop to attacking his kin while he was away on campaign.

Despite the Martial God General’s firm denial and oath, skepticism remained widespread. If the faction was innocent, why had Emperor Chu Gucheng sent his personal subordinates to kill Chu Heng’s man?

The former Grand Tutor remained silent on the politics but led a group of officials to join Han Feng and Chu Bai in demanding an explanation from the throne. As the tension reached a breaking point, Chu Gucheng was forced to confront the mounting pressure.

Meeting the officials within the palace, he claimed total ignorance of the plot, expressing shock that his subordinates would target the Champion Marquis’s confidant. He suggested that these men had likely been turned by outside forces. He pointed out that given Gu Changge’s overwhelming power, it was entirely possible for him to have subverted the loyalty of the Emperor's own guards.

Chu Gucheng attempted to shift the blame entirely onto Gu Changge, portraying the incident as a calculated move to destabilize the Heavenly Chu Haotu. This theory found little traction; most believed that if Gu Changge truly wished to destroy the empire, his terrifying strength would allow him to do so without such convoluted schemes.

Han Feng and Chu Bai were enraged by these accusations, especially since Gu Changge had been their savior that night. They saw Chu Gucheng’s attempt to paint his own men as puppets of Gu Changge as a disgusting reversal of the truth.

In reality, their protests weren't just about an apology; they wanted the return of the Champion Marquis’s wife’s remains. The former Grand Tutor, recognizing the volatility of the situation, chose not to publicly challenge the Emperor’s lies. Instead, he simply requested permission to retrieve his daughter from the imperial tomb for a proper burial.

Chu Gucheng remained deeply unsettled, as he still had no idea who had slaughtered his assassins or rescued Han Feng. This mystery weighed heavily on him. He granted the Grand Tutor's request to exhume the body, having already anticipated the move. He had made sure to strip the remains of all personal effects, leaving no evidence or clues behind.

With the Heavenly Chu Haotu’s foundations shaken and events spiraling out of his grasp, Chu Gucheng pinned his hopes on the Reincarnation Mirror. He believed that once he secured it, he could restore order.

“Father…” Deep within the palace, Crown Prince Chu Wushang spoke with a hesitant, worried tone.

Chu Gucheng rubbed his temples, exhausted. “The burial matter is settled. But what of that jade pendant you mentioned? Where is it?”

“It has vanished. I didn't think much of it at first, but it wasn't among Qing Lan’s things when we searched. It might be lost. If the Grand Tutor had it, they wouldn't be so desperate to recover her body,” Chu Wushang replied grimly.

Chu Gucheng nodded. “If it’s truly lost, so be it. But if it was stolen and found its way to Champion Marquis Chu Heng, we have a problem. Investigate everyone who touched the body. Once my Cultivation is restored, I will use divination to find the truth. Chu Heng hasn't returned yet, so we still have time, but I am uneasy...”

He trailed off, but the implication was clear to Chu Wushang. The empire was bleeding from within, pressured by external foes, and haunted by the shadow of the enigmatic Gu Changge.

The Heavenly Chu Haotu was standing on the edge of a precipice.

“Do not worry, Father. If the pendant causes trouble, I will take full responsibility to ensure the empire is not implicated,” Chu Wushang vowed, a flash of grim determination in his eyes.

Chu Gucheng sighed, patting his son's shoulder. “I hope we never reach that point. For now, I must secure aid from the Xiyuan Sacred Hall and help my master recover. We cannot rely on the Yinxu Cave, and the old matriarch of the Xingying has proven she won't take risks for us. It feels as though the Heavenly Chu Haotu is merely a pawn on someone else's board...”

While the Emperor and Prince spoke, a different scene unfolded at the empire's distant border. On a massive, ancient floating warship, Champion Marquis Chu Heng—clad in his signature golden cloak—stood face-to-face with a mysterious figure in black robes. His soldiers stood ready to strike at a moment's notice.

“Identify yourself. Why have you infiltrated the heart of my command?” Chu Heng demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Even with his high Cultivation, he hadn't sensed the stranger until they were standing on his deck. This person was clearly a powerhouse near the Ancestral Dao level.

Chu Heng had been occupied holding the line against the Demon Court and Zi Xiao Mountain. He knew of the chaos in the capital and wanted to return, but the pressure from his enemies was too great. The Lord of Zi Xiao Mountain was a constant shadow on the horizon, and the Demon Ancestor Di Huo of the Demon Court seemed ready to join the fray personally.

Di Huo was a monstrous entity who had survived eight sky tribulations, a match for the leader of Zi Xiao Mountain. Chu Heng was pinned down by forces just as terrifying as those threatening the capital.

“I am here on my master’s orders to deliver a gift to the Champion Marquis. I mean no harm,” the cloaked figure replied in a raspy, detached voice, face hidden in shadow.

“Who is this master, and what is this gift?” Chu Heng’s eyes narrowed, his guard still up.

“See for yourself.” The figure flicked a wrist, sending a glowing object flying toward the Marquis.

Chu Heng caught it, and his entire body froze as he recognized the item.

“This… this is Qing Lan’s jade pendant. How is this possible?” His voice cracked with emotion, and his hands began to tremble violently.

He had sent Han Feng to the capital with this very pendant to uncover the truth of his wife’s passing. Its presence here suggested something terrible had happened. Was the capital falling apart without his knowledge?

“My task is finished,” the stranger said coldly. “If the Champion Marquis wishes to know the truth of what is happening in the Heavenly Chu Haotu, you should go see it yourself. Otherwise, you will remain a pawn to be discarded once your usefulness ends.”

Without waiting for a response, the figure turned to depart.

Chu Heng’s men moved to block the path, but the Marquis raised a hand to stop them, letting the messenger go.

“Master, this could be a trap,” one subordinate whispered. “Could the enemy be trying to lure you away to break our lines?”

His officers watched him with concern, seeing the agony etched on his face.

“Something is wrong in the capital. My informants have gone silent,” Chu Heng said, taking a deep breath and tucking the pendant away.

He turned his gaze toward the heart of the empire, lost in thought.

He had a suspicion about who the messenger's "master" was, but he couldn't be certain. He struggled to understand how the situation had devolved so quickly.

The silence of his spies and the disappearance of Han Feng were dark omens. As a master of the Ancestral Dao realm, Chu Heng could catch glimpses of fate. While the future was a shifting sea of possibilities, his visions of the Heavenly Chu Haotu’s destiny kept converging on a single, grim conclusion. The path seemed set.

“Leave a skeleton crew to hold the line. The rest of you return to the imperial capital with me,” Chu Heng commanded with icy resolve. “I will see who dares to play these games with me. If anyone tries to hide the truth of Qing Lan’s death, they will face me.”

Though they hesitated, his soldiers obeyed. Soon, the great army of the Heavenly Chu Haotu began a massive, tide-like retreat from the border.

Across the blood-stained stars, Di Kun, the seventh prince of the Demon Court, watched the retreat. He didn't pursue. Beside him, the Bone Ancestor King appeared from the void, cloaked in black.

“Senior, what are your orders?” Di Kun asked with a respectful bow, knowing this man served Gu Changge.

The Bone Ancestor King had already been relaying Gu Changge’s secret instructions to the prince during the campaign.

“Be patient. When the internal collapse of the Heavenly Chu Haotu begins, that is when the Demon Court strikes with everything,” the Bone Ancestor King stated calmly.

“Understood,” Di Kun replied, his heart racing.

He didn't know the specifics of why the enemy was retreating, but he saw the Dao realm experts and generals withdrawing deep into their own territory.

“The Master may meet with the Demon Ancestor soon. The matters of the Demon Court will be finalized shortly,” the Bone Ancestor King added, sensing Di Kun’s curiosity.

Di Kun was elated. He had waited a long time for this alignment.

“I will inform the Demon Ancestor immediately. We are ready to welcome the Master,” Di Kun said reverently.

The Bone Ancestor King nodded and vanished, leaving Di Kun to his thoughts.

While the Demon Court held its position, the elders of Zi Xiao Mountain noticed the retreat and contacted their leader, Zi Wanhe, who was meditating in the far reaches of space.

Zi Wanhe sat like an immovable peak, draped in purple robes and a starry crown, his aura radiating pure power.

“Are you unsatisfied with our deal?” Zi Wanhe asked, his eyes snapping open to address the empty void.

A chorus of distorted voices—mocking and playful—echoed back from the darkness.

“Satisfaction is premature. We are one step away from the finish line. We need your help one last time, Lord of Zi Xiao Mountain,” the voices replied.

Black mist began to swirl in the vacuum of space.

“I delivered the black coffin as instructed. Now, the Xiyuan civilization suspects I am in league with the Black Calamity. Do you have an explanation for this?” Zi Wanhe demanded, his gaze reflecting the destruction of galaxies.

The mist laughed arrogantly. “We agreed you would take the risks. That coffin was a chance find; we didn't know its contents. It served its purpose as a 'gift' to the Heavenly Chu Haotu. Is this not what we wanted?”

Zi Wanhe’s cold snort shook the dimensions. “You hid the fact that the coffin was tied to the Black Calamity. Don't lie and say you were ignorant.”

The voices turned freezing and sharp. “And if we did? You owe us this transaction. Will you truly refuse?” The atmosphere grew heavy with a lethal chill as the mist began to glow with a strange, ancient light that seemed to devour time itself.

Zi Wanhe’s expression flickered. Despite his status as a titan of the Xiyuan civilization, he feared the entities behind those voices. He was bound by a previous karmic debt he couldn't ignore, even if it meant being linked to the Black Calamity.

“What is it you want now?” he asked grimly, yielding to the pressure.

He had followed Gu Changge’s directives to pressure the Heavenly Chu Haotu, thinking he was safe from blame. But these hidden entities were a different matter entirely.

He suspected they were indeed remnants of the Black Calamity, infiltrating civilizations across the cosmos just as they had cornered him.

“It is quite simple,” the voices whispered. “Help us get close to the leader of the Heavenly Attack Alliance. We need to verify exactly who he is.”