I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 964: What does the world have to do with him? His real body is gone

In this vast world, everyone hastened in their cultivation endeavors, and they were no exception. Endowed with great fortune and intimately connected to Gu Changge, their luck surged in tandem with the Dao Chang Realm’s fortunes. In terms of cultivation speed alone, they had already outpaced many, yet time remained their only constraint.

Observing this scene, Gu Changge slowly closed his eyes, his vast consciousness expanding outward. In an instant, countless voids were traversed, spanning the entirety of the ancient world and enshrouding the Dao Chang Realm.

“It appears she’s no longer within the Dao Chang Realm,” Gu Changge mused as he attempted to locate a particular individual’s aura.

Yet, despite his divine senses sweeping across every corner of the universe, the girl remained elusive. The individual he sought, Barbara, was a wildling from the barbarian world. Deliberately leaving his will upon her, Gu Changge intended to utilize her for future purposes.

As Gu Changge had anticipated, Barbara had indeed departed from the Dao Chang Realm and found herself in another world.

Observing the shift in Barbara’s destiny, Gu Changge deduced her origins but refrained from revealing the truth to her, opting instead to observe the unfolding events.

Barbara hailed not from the Dao Chang Realm but from beyond the boundless sea. Yet, in Gu Changge’s eyes, she appeared as a hapless pawn, ensnared in a web of illusions and deceit.

The revered grandfather she admired was merely her guardian, unwittingly guiding her to repeat the same mistakes across lifetimes. Meanwhile, the father figure who treated her as his own daughter was but a marionette manipulated by the barbarian god—an entity she devoutly worshipped, unaware of its true nature as a pawn and servant to another.

Each incarnation served but to veil her past and nurture her burgeoning demonic heart. Gu Changge recognized this as a trial for Barbara, one that would culminate in her eventual awakening and liberation from the illusion.

However, the cruelty of her plight weighed heavily upon Gu Changge. As he peered into her future, witnessing her transformation into a formidable female devil destined to challenge the heavens, his intrigue heightened.

Yet, in the Dao Chang Realm’s current state, luck alone proved insufficient to support the growth and emergence of a character with such a fate. Thus, Gu Changge made the decision to allow Barbara to mature independently, believing that she must confront the harsh truths of her existence and break free from the illusions that bound her.

It fell upon her to tear asunder the veil of lies and confront the brutal reality that awaited her.

Meanwhile, Gu Changge harbored a desire to employ Barbara as bait, using her to lure out the individual orchestrating events from behind the scenes, leading her to the Dao Chang Realm.

“It appears she has torn asunder the illusion and shattered the lies she once lived by with her own hands,” Gu Changge remarked, though he did not dwell too heavily on the matter. When he initially sought suitable candidates, it was merely an experiment—an endeavor to see how far Barbara would progress in her journey, dependent solely on her own destiny.

Gu Changge intervened in her life only when necessary, resolving occasional troubles that crossed her path. His recent investigation into the Dao Chang Realm served a specific purpose—to ascertain whether others had long ago discovered its location.

“It seems that epochs ago, individuals from the real world were already aware of the Dao Chang realm’s existence. The mastermind behind Barbara possesses extraordinary capabilities to deploy such schemes,” Gu Changge mused, his gaze growing deeper with contemplation.

Upon his return to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, Gu Changge left behind instructions, preparing to depart for the boundless sea. He had no intention of lingering, awaiting the arrival of the group of “hunters” from beyond the sea. With his own strength, he could traverse the boundless sea unaided, though it would take time to discern the coordinates of the real world.

Gu Changge was never one to indulge in altruistic pursuits or entertain delusions of grandeur regarding his role in preserving the world. His actions were driven solely by his own motives, unconcerned with the broader implications. His establishment of the concept of the Dao of Heaven and the renaming of the Dao Chang Realm were merely tools to ensure the protection of those he held dear.

As long as the Dao Chang Realm remained untouched by other real worlds, it would continue to prosper and grow in power. Though the looming threat of the “hunters” posed a potential catastrophe for the realm, Gu Changge regarded them as insignificant nuisances, easily crushed beneath his heel.

Gu Changge paid little heed to the group of “hunters,” merely mentioning them to sow panic among the tribes at the opportune moment. Leaving behind a will served as ample deterrent against their approach.

His current focus lay in expanding the influence of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance throughout the boundless sea, ensuring its continual prosperity and growth. To achieve this, he contemplated seeking out the remaining real worlds, with intentions either to occupy or assimilate them into the alliance’s domain.

Though such actions might tarnish his reputation, Gu Changge cared little for the opinions of others, content to be viewed as the enigmatic and capricious demon lord. His past actions demonstrated a willingness to commit even the most ruthless deeds, a trait that inspired both fear and awe among the populace.

In preparation for his departure from the Dao Chang Realm, Gu Changge had arranged various matters, entrusting the Gu family’s ancestor with the management of Heaven-Slaying Alliance affairs. While Gu Wuwang remained unaware of certain intricacies, Gu Changge viewed every member of the Gu family as a valuable asset, strategically positioning them in his grand scheme.

Additionally, Gu Changge manipulated and calculated the follow-up actions concerning the so-called Daoist Ni Chen, confident that no troubles would arise from his endeavors.

Before his departure, Wang Ziji approached Gu Changge once more, expressing her intent to seclude herself for intense cultivation. Despite her lovesickness, she disregarded many details, planning to seek solace in his presence if longing overwhelmed her.

As Wang Ziji embarked on her seclusion, Gu Changge found himself surrounded by few familiar faces within the Dao Chang Realm. Even Lin Qiuhan, whom he had brought from the lower realm, remained secluded, dedicating herself to alchemical pursuits.

Prior to his departure, Gu Changge visited Green Mountain Village, concealing the fact that his true form no longer resided in the real world from even the Gu family’s ancestors and associates.