I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 1789. Why bother with sentiment anymore—just wish to become a carefree fish

Song Youwei lowered her head and softly reported, “Your Majesty has been trapped by inner demons, her realm stagnant for many years without progress. Later, when she forcefully attempted to break through into the Immortal King realm, she failed. Her Dao origin shattered, and all her lifetime cultivation turned into flowing water. Overnight, her black hair turned completely white. Even though the various races of the Demon Domain brought countless heavenly treasures, none could save her.”

Saying this, she glanced at the silent Gu Changge and continued softly, “The Demon Empress Yuyue intended to go to the Divine Kingdom to seek medicine. She thought that given the past relationship between you, Alliance Master, and the Empress, the goddesses of the Divine Kingdom would not hesitate to grant divine medicine. But… she was rejected by the Empress herself.”

The Demon Empress Yuyue was the mother of Empress Xiyao. When Gu Changge had been in the Demon Realm, he spared her life because of her relationship with Xiyao. Now, the Demon Realm was under her rule.

Gu Changge remained silent. He knew why Xiyao had refused.

In the past, she had been so proud—within just six thousand years, she rose to become a supreme Empress, overlooking countless prodigies of her generation. In the eyes of countless heaven’s favorites, she was a woman they could only look up to, an unreachable Empress.

How could such a person bow her head and beg others? Especially those juniors from back then.

More importantly, Yin Mei and the others were Gu Changge’s lawful wives.

As time passed and her appearance faded, if she were to stand before Yin Mei and the others and plead for medicine, what kind of humiliation would that be? Perhaps it would be even harder to bear than death.

Seeing that Gu Changge remained silent, Song Youwei did not continue speaking. Instead, she took out a scroll tied carefully with a red silk ribbon from her spatial treasure.

“This was found after the Empress passed away, among her belongings we were organizing. She cherished it very much in life…”

“We originally intended to follow her will and burn it together, but I took the liberty of keeping it, thinking it might one day be handed to you, Alliance Master.”

With that, she gently handed the scroll to Gu Changge.

Gu Changge looked at it. In truth, he did not even need to open it to guess what it was. Still, he reached out and took it, slowly untying the ribbon. It was a painting made from the finest rice paper. On it was a white-robed man. He stood with his hands behind his back, tall and upright, standing atop the sea of clouds. The mountain wind blew, his robes fluttering, black hair dancing. He was elegant, transcendent, otherworldly. When he turned his head slightly, as if looking down at someone below, a faint smile hung on his lips.

It was the scene when he left the Demon Domain.

Gu Changchang was slightly surprised that Xiyao had actually painted this moment—but thinking carefully, it was not entirely unexpected.

In an instant, his thoughts drifted back to that time.

Scenes emerged before his eyes.

“You… someone like you, is there truly someone you can entrust your heart to?” Xiyao had once leaned beside a misty pool and asked him.

Gu Changchang smiled and replied, “Why not?”

“But the more I understand you, the more uneasy I become…”

“I am really tired of being alone. I just want someone I can rely on. Can you let me lean on you for a while?”

“When you want to lean, I will always be here.”

Countless years had passed, yet that moment still felt as if it were before his eyes.

Gu Changchang remained silent.

He did not know what emotion he was feeling now. It was a slight discomfort… a faint blockage in his heart.

For someone like him, such emotions were extremely rare.

Clearly, back then she had only been a pawn, a tool he used—there had only been a single night of intimacy between them. So why did she cling to it so deeply?

She was the Empress of the Demon Realm, the ruler of all demon clans—so proud, so aloof.

He had only made a simple transaction with her. Did she really think he had ever felt true affection?

“Truly foolish. Just a discarded chess piece… yet still trying to act so deeply in love.”

Gu Changchang suddenly shook his head, as if sighing, or as if explaining it to himself.

Song Youwei froze. Before she could react, she suddenly felt the world and spacetime tremble—an immense, boundless force surged through heaven and earth, as though some kind of law and perception itself was being altered.

Her vision blurred. Everything turned hazy. In that blur, she seemed to see a vast, shimmering river appear before Gu Changchang.

He stepped into it.

The river of time surged, rippling with waves. Gu Changchang’s figure appeared in the Demon Realm five hundred years ago.

Inside the Demon Imperial Palace, the grand hall was solemn and oppressive, filled with sorrow.

Demon Empress Yuyue stood silently outside the hall doors, not stepping in. Many demon ministers and court attendants also waited outside, their hearts heavy.

Deep within the palace, on a jade bed of glass-like immortality stone, white curtains drifted like mist. A thin figure with long white hair lay quietly upon it.

Her eyes were closed. Wrinkles and the marks of time covered her face. She no longer had her former peerless elegance, yet from her brows and features, one could still faintly see her breathtaking beauty from the past.

“Yu Wei, there is no need to waste your power anymore maintaining my appearance. It’s unnecessary now.”

Her lips, slightly dry, moved gently. Her voice was soft, weak—so fragile it was hard to associate her with the once mighty Empress Xiyao.

Song Youwei said nothing, still holding her hand while continuously pouring her power into her, despite her own pale face.

“Your Majesty was born so beautiful. Even if you are leaving, you should leave beautifully,” she murmured.

“You say I am beautiful… then why has he never once looked back at me?”

Xiyao murmured.

Song Youwei remained silent.

Xiyao gave a faint, self-mocking smile.

“I am going to die… this feeling is strange. A bit light… a bit calm… as if I am simply falling asleep.”

Song Youwei’s nose turned sour. In her mind, she once again saw that radiant, commanding Empress who ruled with iron authority—one word from her and the entire realm trembled.

But now, she was as frail as a dying old woman. Clearly she had been at her peak. Clearly she still had a bright future, enough to become an Immortal King, to reach even greater realms.

Clearly she knew it was a heart demon, an illusion—not the real him—so why did she choose to sink into it, letting her Dao heart collapse…

“If he knew I was going to die… would he come to see me?” Xiyao suddenly asked.

Song Youwei did not know how to answer.

Xiyao slowly shook her head.

“Forget it. My appearance is no longer what it once was… so old, so ugly… I don’t want him to see me like this. It’s better this way. If one day he accidentally remembers me, he will still remember me as I once was—not this white-haired, aged version…”

Song Youwei’s eyes grew even more sour.

In a daze, she seemed to return to many years ago, to that small courtyard where autumn leaves fell and all things withered. Freshly fallen osmanthus flowers covered the courtyard ground. The young Empress walked over and took her hand.

“Yu Wei, from now on, you will stay by my side.”

“If there is a next life… I want to become a carefree fish, without being anyone’s chess piece. Free and unburdened, drifting wherever the water flows.”

Xiyao murmured softly. That sentence seemed to drain away all her remaining strength.

Suddenly, as if sensing something—or perhaps in a final moment of clarity—her eyes suddenly opened. She weakly turned her head to the side.

And then… she froze.