I Am the Fated Villain Chapter 1291: The fall of Xianchu Haotu was an inevitable outcome

A colossal force burst forth from the time-space tunnel on the opposing side, resembling an unending dark flood rushing at them, making the whole heavens quake.

From an inconceivable distance away, the clamor of metallic hooves pounding across the starry expanse could be heard, immense and roaring, sufficient to instill terror in anyone who listened.

Myriad cultivators and inhabitants of Xianchu Haotu stared up in dread at the unfolding spectacle. The firmament appeared to grow see-through, revealing vague silhouettes of the invading troops as they approached. In their wake, ancient warships appeared one by one, like scattered stars enveloped in heavenly fog and turbulent energy, radiating the archaic and forsaken vibe of a bygone age.

This was a horrifying legion beyond imagination, assembled from the immortal Daoist powers of the Xiyuan civilization, strong enough to overrun every domain and crush any foe—no Daoist group could stand against it.

“It’s over…”

Within the capital city of Xianchu Haotu, innumerable folks grew ashen-faced, their features twisted in terror and hopelessness.

Who could possibly stand up to such an enormous host? Not even Xianchu Haotu at its strongest height.

“Why is this happening…”

“Why have all these troops shown up out of nowhere? Xianchu Haotu never allied with the Black Calamity's leftovers. This accusation makes no sense…”

A host of cultivators and creatures cried out in shock and fright.

Despair gripped countless individuals, leaving them incapable of even considering defiance. This represented the supreme might gathered by the Xiyuan civilization, under the command of the Xiyuan Holy Hall. 

On the far end of the time-space tunnel, the heads of numerous Daoist powers had gathered, positioned side by side on a single ancient warship, peering toward Xianchu Haotu visible through the passage.

Xi Yin, an elder of the Xiyuan Holy Hall, positioned herself at the vessel's front, her face composed and tranquil. Adorned with cloud-shaped hair ornaments and a phoenix-etched jade piece on her brow, she observed the events without a word.

Next to her, Gu Changge kept his hands loosely folded behind him, appearing deeply engaged by the view before him.

“Xianchu Haotu sealed its own doom. They stubbornly allied with the Black Calamity's remnants, leading to this fate. No pity is warranted,” remarked Jing Tianyuan, the Jing clan's ancestor, with a faint head shake as he noted the wails and hopelessness spreading below.

The Ling Shen Cave's leader for this expedition, an ancestral Dao level elder, agreed with a nod and commented, “We always believed this stemmed from Xianchu Haotu's greed, yet we didn't anticipate their hidden ties to the Black Calamity's survivors. That Yinxu Cave they mentioned was likely just a made-up label. We've never come across any such group.”

“That's right. The name Yinxu Cave rings no bells for me. It's probably invented, and no real force like that exists,” chimed in another elder.

Jing Tianyuan nodded once more.

The chiefs of the assorted immortal Daoist groups had convened at this spot, their enormous legions trailing behind as they traversed the time-space tunnel to invade Xianchu Haotu.

This coalition wielded tremendous strength, boasting over five ancestral Dao level masters in their ranks. That count excluded Xi Yin and Gu Changge from the Xiyuan Holy Hall.

Upon hearing that the Xiyuan Holy Hall had unleashed the deadly Xi Yuan decree against Xianchu Haotu, the Daoist powers' leaders felt stunned yet swiftly mobilized, rallying their troops to rush over.

With Xianchu Haotu's fall imminent, its abundant riches and assets would surely lure these groups as spoils. Each one aimed to claim a portion.

At present, lesser adjacent powers and Daoist sects exploited the turmoil, raiding Xianchu Haotu's fringes and outskirts.

Since Xianchu Haotu teetered on the brink of ruin and could barely manage its own affairs, it lacked the means to counter these pillaging bands.

“Though Xianchu Haotu conspired with the Black Calamity's remnants, its citizens remain blameless. Leaders, kindly order your followers to spare the harmless,” Xi Yin declared, her eyes scanning Xianchu Haotu's expansive lands via the time-space tunnel.

Standing nearby, Gu Changge gave a subtle nod and added, “That's precisely my view too. Xianchu Haotu's transgressions can't be excused, yet its populace is guiltless. During my clash with Chu Gucheng in the past, he already cost countless lives. Witnessing the suffering of Xianchu Haotu's folk today stirs pity in me.”

“Young Master Gu truly shows compassion. We'll make sure our disciples avoid injuring the innocent. When you could have wiped out Xianchu Haotu, you opted to preserve myriad lives and withdrew peacefully. Such mercy earns our esteem,” responded an Ancestral Dao level elder from Guangming Temple. His tone brimmed with deference toward Gu Changge.

“In contrast, it's regrettable that Chu Gucheng, as sovereign, valued his subjects' lives so little,” he went on, his voice laced with censure.

The assembled faction heads voiced their concurrence.

While Xianchu Haotu's sovereign, Chu Gucheng, suspected Gu Changge of links to the Black Calamity's remnants, those gathered could plainly discern the more probable culprit. It wasn't Gu Changge.

Xi Yin's eyes briefly shifted as she glanced at Gu Changge. Though she served as a follower of the esteemed Xi Nu and occupied a venerable role, the Ancestral Dao level elders here evidently revered Gu Changge more, treating him nearly as the commander.

She understood this stemmed from the recent showdown between Xianchu Haotu and Gu Changge, which had skyrocketed his fame across the Xiyuan civilization to unprecedented heights.

In this world, the strong prevailed, and the mighty commanded respect everywhere they ventured.

She trusted her own prowess, yet recognized she could never rival Gu Changge.

The turmoil in Xianchu Haotu once more seized the Xiyuan civilization's collective focus.

Scarce a month had passed since the prior cataclysmic clash, and Xianchu Haotu already bore deep wounds. Now confronting a coalition far more daunting than the Demon Court and Zixiao Mountain, 

All were convinced this conflict would conclude predictably. Xianchu Haotu's boldness in capturing the Xiyuan Holy Maiden had doomed it irrevocably.

Only if Xianchu Haotu erased every clue and concealed all its deceptions might it evade judgment, but that seemed impossible.

At last, the immense host pushed through the time-space tunnel and invaded Xianchu Haotu.

Clad in heavenly golden armor, Chu Gucheng stood ready. His war attire whipped in the breeze as his immense presence dominated the skies. Heavenly dragon Qi coiled about him, emitting a universe-shaking bellow, portraying him as a godlike mortal sovereign.

Arrayed behind Chu Gucheng, his array of aides—including the Eight-Headed True God and more—had fortified their positions against the impending assault.

Various star lords, commanders, and officials converged in the capital, their countenances grave and intent as they eyed the boundless enemy ranks approaching from the edge of sight.

From the lavish estates and grottos of the Extraordinary Talent and allied groups, throngs of cultivators and entities poured out, beholding the sight with alarm and incredulity.

The pitch-black vault overhead felt poised to collapse anytime, with towering, roiling vapors blotting out the view, casting the realm into gloom and omen, as though doomsday loomed.

Xianchu Haotu's capital, akin to a hovering celestial stream ringed by orbiting life worlds, now seemed trivial, mere specks or filth before this dread legion.

Let alone the Ancestral Dao figures amid the troops, each eclipsing natural bounds, capable of razing the capital with one palm strike.

“Lord, Xianchu Haotu faces certain doom today. Nothing can halt it. We shouldn't…”

Trailing Champion Lord Chu Heng, Han Feng and his companions urged him, their looks brimming with worry.

“Xianchu Haotu granted me favor. Regardless, the Great Prince has atoned for his deeds. How could I forsake Xianchu Haotu at this hour?” Chu Heng replied, shaking his head and gesturing decisively to silence Han Feng and the rest's protests.

Han Feng and his group let out heavy sighs. Several attempted to speak but held their tongues. They'd trailed Chu Heng for years, yet now it was evident Xianchu Haotu had no escape. Against this fearsome union of Daoist sects from the Xiyuan Civilization, what group could endure? The end was inevitable.

“Lord, this is misplaced devotion…” Chu Bai offered a wry grin, at a loss on how to sway the Champion Lord.

In the palace halls, the Yinxu Cave's aged woman, Xing Ying, positioned herself, her silver-white gaze fixed icily on the skies.

“What nonsense about allying with the Black Calamity's remnants—they've lumped my Yinxu Cave in with them too,” she scoffed with frigid disdain.

Beyond Xianchu Haotu's capital, forces amassed under Chu Heng's banner.

Despite grievous tolls from the Demon Court and Zixiao Mountain skirmishes, Xianchu Haotu could still muster billions-strong ranks.

Across cosmic reaches, vassal rulers, warlords, and Chu clan offshoots dispatched hordes of cultivators to bolster the heartland.

“False charges come cheap; Xianchu Haotu never schemed with the Black Calamity's survivors. If you seek to raze Xianchu Haotu, you'll have to get past us first!”

“Today, we stand with Xianchu Haotu until the last!”

“Kill!”

Clashes and carnage resounded from distant galactic voids.

Entities across ranks and cultivation stages bellowed in fury, forming a colossal, inexorable surge like a stellar serpent barreling toward the throne city.

“Chu Gucheng, free the captive Xiyuan Holy Maiden. Comply, and we might let Xianchu Haotu's innocents live!”

Abruptly, a frosty proclamation pierced the churning mists, echoing through the planes.

Xi Yin had come. Her garments danced, dark locks streaming in the gale. Her features were keen, and a frosty presence poured from her, rattling the cosmos. Perched on the antique warship, she overlooked all of Xianchu Haotu.

“Should Xianchu Haotu's rest persist in this folly and reject atonement, they will perish with their realm.”

“The Black Calamity's survivors plot turmoil across the worlds. Chu Gucheng joined them, defying Daoist rule and aiming to dominate the Xiyuan Civilization. Such offense warrants execution.”

Flanking her, the faction and sect leaders materialized, their faces stern as they directed their gaze at Xianchu Haotu, delivering a last demand and caution.

“Winners claim rewards, losers bear blame. Xianchu Haotu's time is up, and I have nothing more to add.”

“Yes, we did hold the Xiyuan Holy Maiden captive. It's a shame the ruse unraveled early, and I lost the wager,” Chu Gucheng proclaimed from atop the palace, his laughter booming. His gaze blazed with intensity.

With the Xiyuan Holy Hall's Xi Yuan decree targeting annihilation, it proved they possessed ironclad proof of the genuine Xiyuan Holy Maiden's detention by Xianchu Haotu.

Chu Xinyue wasn't the authentic Xiyuan Holy Maiden. Though she mirrored her looks, presence, and bearing, she was an impostor. Any action now would reveal the truth instantly.

Thus, Chu Gucheng opted to confess outright, leaving no room for denial.

“What?”

Numerous officials, who had deemed this a baseless claim by the Xiyuan Holy Hall, reeled from Chu Gucheng's admission. Disbelief gripped them.

A throng of courtiers stood mute, struggling to process the revelation.

“So it's real?”

Champion Lord Chu Heng felt stunned too. He never imagined Chu Gucheng's nerve ran so deep. It appeared he'd staked it all on a desperate play. Victory would reshape Xianchu Haotu and perhaps conquer the Xiyuan Civilization. Defeat meant utter devastation.

“Hmph, for daring such a thing, you must face the consequences,” Xi Yin replied, her visage frozen in chill.

The Xiyuan Holy Hall endured through endless epochs as one of the Xiyuan Civilization's loftiest Daoist entities. From its inception, none had ever challenged it thus—seizing the true Holy Maiden and substituting a fake to fool the masses.

Without her timely revival, the Xiyuan Holy Hall could have endured a grave setback.

Particularly galling was Chu Gucheng's scheme to wed the Xiyuan Holy Maiden and bind alliances with the Xiyuan Holy Hall.

This bordered on the ludicrous, the inconceivable, a pinnacle of hubris.With a thunderous boom, combat ignited without prelude.

Xi Yin's fury boiled over. Her palm, clear as fine jade and aglow with divine radiance, plunged from above, blanketing the heavens. Orderly laws and principles whirled from her fingertips, and upon descent, peaks crumbled, lands split, and celestial bodies splintered. A fearsome, all-consuming might emanated, quaking Xianchu Haotu's core.

The display filled every cultivator and being with dread, evoking true end times—none could withstand it.

Xianchu Haotu's legions, driven by their captains' enraged cries, surged at the foes. Yet beneath Xi Yin's descending strike, they shattered and vanished in a flash, bursting into crimson haze, bodies and essences erased.

Even Dao realm experts shunned direct confrontation. Horror and awe etched their faces, their frames quivering.

Trailing Xi Yin, the coalition's troops advanced like a torrent, fanning out everywhere. Fighters from diverse cultivation stages dove into the melee, their collisions sending tremors through the firmament.

The strife was world-rending, warping existence itself. Immense swaths of the multiverse buckled from the clash's ripples.

Legions soared amid the clouds, colossal palms raked the skies, ripping asunder all they touched.

Dazzling treasures—ancient scrolls, sacred kettles, bronze vessels, celestial canopies—tumbled through space, enshrouding the cosmos. A single quake from them rent the world, pulverizing all to powder.

Even Immortal King and Semi-Immortal Emperor tiers fell slain without mercy. This clash held no uncertainty. Xianchu Haotu's full might paled against this onslaught, amplified by key figures from the sects and Dao realm forebears.

Despair, dread, and resentment permeated Xianchu Haotu's atmosphere. Huge cosmic expanses fell under occupation, star clusters demolished by battle's aftershocks.

Frontier zones plunged into anarchy. Sundry groups and bands looted amid the fray, as conflict's blaze fanned outward.

Gu Changge viewed it all with detached calm, his features impassive. Xianchu Haotu's ruin was predestined; only the timing remained.

“With Xianchu Haotu's collapse, the Xiyuan Civilization's dynamics will fall fully under my sway,” he mused, his sight roving over Xianchu Haotu's domains, its defiant powerhouses battling the Daoist invaders, and the wild, enraged form of Chu Gucheng.

Then, Chu Gucheng, soaked in gore, grappled savagely against several mighty adversaries. Though he'd endured the Eight Heavenly Calamities, his vigor waned from its zenith. In these brutal exchanges, he swiftly lost ground, bleeding profusely and hurled about.

Crimson streamed from his eyes, nostrils, and lips. His plating lay in ruins, his noble stance broken. He'd already seen loyal followers swarmed by superior numbers, encircled and exploded, dying instantly.

All around, savagery reigned. Holy glows blazed over the capital. Figures dashed into the brilliance like suicidal insects, only to meet swift annihilation, forms and spirits undone.

The horrors fueled Chu Gucheng's eyes with loathing, but he was powerless to c