I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 1633. The Coffin of the Burial World

Fate had already been foretold, with the heavens and the eight followers trembling in unison. The entire universe shook as stars shattered in the midst of this battle, turning into fragments that shot out in all directions.

A terrifying army of demons emerged from the abyss in the sky, bloodthirsty and roaring as they charged forward. The Seventh Prince of the Demon Court, Emperor Kun, donned a dark red cloak and personally led the demon army on the front lines. At the same time, he set up the Heavenly Demon Soul-devouring Great Formation, a force of karma as boundless as a burning red lotus that licked the heavens, inching ever closer to the core of the Immortal Chu Hao Earth.

Countless cultivators and living beings clashed and screamed within the formation, the stench of blood rising to the heavens, obscuring the sun and moon, causing the stars to fade. However, at that moment, standing beside Emperor Kun was a thin, emaciated elder, his arm resembling a withered tree branch. The old man hunched over, his entire body cloaked in black robes, with only a pair of blood-red eyes visible, exuding an aura of chilling dread.

A thin, cold black mist swirled around him, as if even space and time were frozen.

“What is the name of this ancient formation?”

The black-robed elder stared unblinkingly at the ancient formation deep in the universe, his voice slightly trembling.

Emperor Kun, despite the overwhelming aura of the elder, answered, “This formation is called the Heavenly Demon Soul-devouring Great Formation.”

“This ancient formation… I have seen it in the records of my organization, but no one can set it up anymore. It was not originally called the Heavenly Demon Soul-devouring Formation, but the Nine Heavens Divine Evil Reincarnation Formation… No, the formation you’ve set up here is derived from the Nine Heavens Divine Evil Reincarnation Formation. Its lethality is far less than the original, but it is more suited to the demon race…”

The black-robed elder shook his head, still staring at the formation in the universe, his eyes flashing with excitement, his voice betraying his barely-contained enthusiasm. The elder’s entire body trembled uncontrollably due to his excitement.

Emperor Kun, still focused on controlling the formation’s core, was not in the mood to listen to the black-robed elder’s words. Not being at the level of the ancestral path, controlling such a powerful ancient formation required a lot of effort and he couldn’t afford to be distracted. However, he dared not offend this mysterious black-robed elder, as the elder’s strength far surpassed his current level.

“I’ve never heard of what the senior said, and I don’t know anything about the Nine Heavens Divine Evil Reincarnation Formation,” Emperor Kun shook his head, answering truthfully.

“I knew it… I knew it…”

The emaciated black-robed elder seemed somewhat delirious at this moment. Ignoring Emperor Kun, he muttered to himself, surrounded by a chaotic aura capable of driving anyone mad.Many of the demon generals and demon lords around Emperor Kun furrowed their brows, casting wary glances at the black-robed elder beside him, not daring to offend him either.

The black-robed elder had already demonstrated terrifying power earlier, and his mere presence was enough to suppress several demon lords at the Dao level, causing their expressions to drastically change. They didn’t dare move easily. Now, standing there, the chaotic aura he exuded was breaking the surrounding space and time, further discouraging anyone from taking any rash action. They were helpless, unsure whether this eerie and powerful figure was an enemy or an ally.

Several demon lords were on high alert, having already secretly contacted the powerful figures from the Demon Court’s ancestral Dao realm stationed at the borders, fearing that the black-robed elder might take action soon.

“Tell me, quickly tell me, where did you obtain this ancient formation?”

The black-robed elder fixed his eyes on the formation in the depths of the universe, which was circulating endless light and evolving into ancient demons of overwhelming power, as if appraising a priceless treasure. His tone was filled with extreme excitement, and as he spoke, he could hardly resist reaching out to grab Emperor Kun.

Seeing this, Emperor Kun furrowed his brows, feeling helpless. He could only temporarily hand over control of the formation’s core to several nearby demon lords. At the same time, he retreated a step, trying to avoid the black-robed elder’s approaching withered hand.

However, the moment Emperor Kun tried to evade, his expression changed drastically. He had intended to dodge the black-robed elder’s hand, but he found that all the Dao laws around him had suddenly blurred, as if everything had fallen into stillness. Even the great Dao seemed to vanish completely, and he found himself unable to move at all.

The withered, tree-like hand fell directly, grabbing his wrist. It was extremely cold, like ice, and where it gripped, the skin turned dark blue, as if frozen. All the flesh and bones were quickly corroded and decayed, turning black as if poisoned.

“Seventh Prince…” The demon lords and generals of the Demon Court all turned pale upon seeing this, their scalps going numb.

Emperor Kun’s face also changed drastically, his expression filled with shock and anger.

Fortunately, his true body was a Golden Crow, and his physical constitution was incredibly strong, with astounding vitality and blood energy. If an ordinary being had been grabbed by the black-robed elder like that, their arm would have been immediately shattered and rendered useless, perhaps even damaging their very essence.

“Tell me, where did you obtain this ancient formation? I know you are the Seventh Prince of the Xi Yuan Civilization’s Demon Court, but don’t think that you can intimidate me with your father, Emperor Ti Huan. If he were here, I might pay him some respect, but not now.”

“If you dare deceive me, I can send you to death with a single thought.”

The black-robed elder spoke, and his eye sockets suddenly glowed with a cold, eerie light. A chilling aura, as if it came from the depths of the Nine Hells, emanated around him, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.

The demon lords and generals all felt a cold chill running down their backs. Who exactly was this black-robed elder? He didn’t even seem to care about the Demon Ancestor, Emperor Ti Huan, speaking in such a manner.

“This Heavenly Demon Soul-devouring Great Formation was obtained by accident. It seems you have some knowledge of it, senior, but I cannot give it to you,” Emperor Kun replied with calmness despite facing such a terrifying figure.

He believed that this black-robed elder, who had suddenly appeared, had taken an interest in the formation after noticing its immense power. Perhaps, that was why the elder wanted to seize it.

However, this formation had been personally given to him by Gu Changge. Without Gu Changge’s permission, Emperor Kun could not casually hand it over to anyone.

Although the elder appeared eerily terrifying, he was nothing compared to Gu Changge in Emperor Kun’s eyes.

“Are you looking to die? Do you really think I wouldn’t dare search your true soul?”

The black-robed elder’s face turned even colder, and the withered hand that gripped Emperor Kun tightened even more.

Emperor Kun’s expression changed again as an intense pain surged through his body, as if thousands of blades were stabbing him. Pieces of decayed flesh fell off, as the chilling energy that engulfed him slowly drained all vitality from his body.

“Senior, are you trying to find out where I obtained this ancient formation, or are you planning to seize it?” Emperor Kun gritted his teeth and asked, enduring the pain.

“Hmph, if this were the complete Nine Heavens Divine Evil Reincarnation Formation, I might have been interested. But what you have here is only a part of the formation, a mere embryonic version. Even if you give it to me, it would be of no use.” The black-robed elder snorted coldly.

Emperor Kun suddenly understood, realizing that the formation might have triggered some memories or associations in the black-robed elder.

He thought for a moment before deciding not to hide anything. Gritting his teeth, he said, “This was given to me by my master. Senior, if you…”

“Your master?”

The black-robed elder did not let Emperor Kun finish his sentence. As soon as he heard this term, his demeanor abruptly shifted.The black-robed elder’s expression suddenly changed, and he released his grip on Emperor Kun’s arm. Emperor Kun realized that it was the presence of Gu Changge that had caused the black-robed elder to become wary, so he continued, “I will not hide it from you, senior. This Heavenly Demon Soul-devouring Ancient Formation was indeed given to me by my master. I swear this is the truth, and I can take the heart-devouring oath to prove it.”

“You… your master is who?”

The black-robed elder no longer focused on the Heavenly Demon Soul-devouring Ancient Formation deep in the universe but instead locked his gaze onto Emperor Kun. His voice trembled.

“I don’t know who my master is, but my master is all-powerful and immortal. He exists in the hearts of all beings across countless worlds.”

Emperor Kun recalled the moment when he had heard Gu Changge’s words on the Blood-colored Plateau, and there was a deep sense of awe in his eyes.

“It should be like this, it should be like this… I knew this day would come.”

“As long as the light remains, the darkness will eventually return…”

The black-robed elder grew even more agitated, his excitement escalating beyond what it was before. It was more frenzied than before, almost as if he had lost his mind.

Emperor Kun couldn’t understand, but he could feel that the black-robed elder’s words seemed to have a profound connection with Gu Changge.

At that moment, the black-robed elder appeared like a fanatic, consumed by a certain obsessive belief.

“Where is the master you speak of, now?”

The black-robed elder tried to suppress his emotions, turning his head to look at Emperor Kun as he asked.

“My master’s whereabouts are unclear. I don’t know where he is.” Emperor Kun shook his head.

Although he had seen Gu Changge’s true form, he had no knowledge of Gu Changge’s identity. All he knew was that Gu Changge appeared incredibly young, like a fallen immortal from a painting.

The black-robed elder gradually calmed down and no longer paid attention to Emperor Kun. He murmured to himself, “I knew that the Xi Yuan civilization would undergo a great change. Coming here was not a mistake…”

As he spoke, the black-robed elder flicked his robes, and in an instant, he shot through the air like a meteor. His departure was just as silent and inconspicuous as when he arrived, vanishing without a trace.

Emperor Kun broke out in a cold sweat. This black-robed elder was truly eerie, with incomprehensible power and strength. He couldn’t tell where he was from or who he really was.

However, from the black-robed elder’s previous words, Emperor Kun began to wonder if he wasn’t from the Xi Yuan civilization after all, but perhaps from another civilization or even a different true realm.

“Seventh Prince…”The demon lords and generals were all deeply shaken by the scene that had just unfolded, their faces still filled with lingering fear. If the black-robed elder had truly acted with malice, he could have easily wiped them all out. Moreover, what Emperor Kun had just said left them even more unsettled and trembling.

Master?

When did the Seventh Prince suddenly acquire such a mysterious master?

Emperor Kun coldly swept his gaze over the demon lords and generals before him, immediately silencing them. No one dared to speak further.

“It seems that beyond the Xi Yuan civilization, there are other unknown forces and traditions that are eyeing this place…”

Looking in the direction where the black-robed elder had vanished, Emperor Kun fell into deep thought. He didn’t know whether his choices had been right or wrong, but based on the black-robed elder’s reaction, it seemed that Gu Changge’s existence was even more terrifying than he had imagined. Furthermore, the elder’s origins were undoubtedly not simple. Why had he come to the Xi Yuan civilization at this time? What was his purpose?

At the same time, not far from the battlefield between the Immortal Chu Hao Earth and the Demon Court, on a barren and steep mountain, an old Taoist dressed in tattered clothes, with disheveled hair and a foul odor emanating from his body, was sitting in contemplation as if in deep meditation.

A strange force field surrounded him, causing the entire space and time around him to feel as though it were frozen.

Suddenly, sensing something, the old Taoist opened his eyes and looked in the distance.

He spoke calmly, “Cold Crow Elder…”

The old Taoist’s eye sockets were hollow, with no eyeballs, and pus and blood oozed out, making his appearance particularly disturbing.

“Heh, Daoist, do you want to know what I saw just now?”

The black-robed elder, who had appeared at the Demon Court and Immortal Chu Hao Earth battlefield, had grabbed Emperor Kun earlier and inquired about the Heavenly Demon Soul-devouring Ancient Formation. With a step, he descended from the sky, landing in front of the old Taoist. His laughter was laced with a coldness, like it came from the depths of the Nine Hells, and the temperature of the entire space dropped.

“You Yin Sect, besides seeing the original source of absolute yin, what could possibly excite you so?” The old Taoist calmly gazed at the approaching black-robed elder.

The black-robed elder’s name was Cold Crow Elder, though that was just a title others used for him. He had become a Daoist countless years ago, and his original name had almost been forgotten by now.

“I no longer care for the usual source of absolute yin. Just now, when I passed by the battlefield between the Demon Court and Immortal Chu Hao Earth, I unexpectedly came across an ancient formation that I had seen in a classic text,” Cold Crow Elder said, a strange smile appearing on his face.

The old Taoist immediately became intrigued, as he knew exactly which classic text Cold Crow Elder was referring to.

“What ancient formation?” He asked.

“The Nine Heavens Divine Evil Reincarnation Formation. This formation was once used to refine and annihilate an entire immortal kingdom,” Cold Crow Elder replied with a cold laugh.The old Taoist was initially stunned, then shocked, unable to believe what he was hearing. “Isn’t this ancient formation supposed to have been destroyed in that battle? How did you come across it?”

Cold Crow Elder did not answer the question directly, only sneering, “The Celestial Court still foolishly attempts to lay their hands on that supreme power, unaware that fate has already foretold it. That great existence will inevitably be revived, or perhaps it has already awakened, and we just don’t know. His power has been silently spreading throughout the worlds…”

“I believe that I will soon witness the miracles of that great being. He will descend upon the worlds once more, and all the traitors and rebellious ministers of the Celestial Court will perish at that time. Hahaha…”

The old Taoist was not at all surprised by Cold Crow Elder’s near-manic words. However, he had not expected that his search for clues about the Gate of Eternal Life in the Xi Yuan civilization would lead him to such information.

The Celestial Court and the Eight Follower Sect were two factions that formed after the collapse of the Celestial Organization. However, in the eyes of the various civilizations and kingdoms of the vast world, both factions were remnants of a black disaster, with no distinction between them.

Of course, the Celestial Court and the Eight Follower Sect followed different principles in their actions. Although both were remnants of the Celestial Organization, the Celestial Court viewed itself as the orthodox faction, considering the Eight Follower Sect as an offshoot and had long sought to absorb it in order to restore the true Celestial Organization.

The faction behind Cold Crow Elder was the Lesser Yin Sect, one of the Eight Follower Sect.

“The clue to the Gate of Eternal Life has leaked out, and the Celestial Court will certainly not let it go. Since we are both here for the Gate of Eternal Life, we can join forces. The Jing Clan, which just emerged from the Shengyang Ancient Domain, is clearly deeply connected to the Gate of Eternal Life…”

The old Taoist spoke slowly, bearing the ominous signs of the Five Declines of Heaven and Man. Most people would avoid him due to this, but this was a characteristic of the Heavenly Decline Sect within the Eight Follower Sect.

Upon hearing the old Taoist’s words, Cold Crow Elder, who had been somewhat frenzied, gradually calmed down. His hollow eye sockets under his hood glowed faintly, and he sneered as he said:

“The Mirror of Reincarnation is within the Xi Yuan Sacred Hall. Over countless eras, the Celestial Court has always sought it but never succeeded. Now, with the battle between the Immortal Chu Hao Earth and the Demon Court causing chaos in the Xi Yuan civilization, the Celestial Court might take advantage of the confusion, using the search for the Gate of Eternal Life as a pretext to seize the Mirror of Reincarnation.”

“Hehe, if I’m not mistaken, the Zixiao Mountain has probably already made contact with the Celestial Court. The black coffin currently wreaking havoc in the Immortal Chu Hao Earth could only have been forged by the Celestial Court—no other force could create something like it.”

The old Taoist, upon hearing this, fell into contemplation. “The sage who founded the Xi Yuan Sacred Hall has been fighting against the Celestial Court and the Eight Follower Sect for years. Most of the civilizations and kingdoms that participated in that battle have already been destroyed due to the Celestial Court’s revenge, though some of their surviving clans are hiding in various chaotic spaces, making them difficult to find.”

“Speaking of which, if we can deal with the sage from the Xi Yuan Sacred Hall and successfully seize the Mirror of Reincarnation, the Eight Follower Sect will no longer be in such a passive position against the Celestial Court.”

The Coffin of the Burial World had always been under the control of the Celestial Court. Moreover, the body of the former Lord of the Celestial Organization had been sealed and locked inside the coffin for all these years.

Over time, the Celestial Court had used the power of that existence, which had likely corrupted many unknown void worlds, even creating bizarre and terrifying creatures like the Shen and Shadows.