I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 1814. Refining It into the Black Lotus Sacred Realm; The Fate Lord’s Scheme

The black lotuses were as large as mountains, slowly advancing and pressing down upon heaven and earth.

Every lotus petal was boundlessly vast, like a world-destroying millstone blotting out the sky and sun. They carried an aura of annihilation, intertwined with the essence of the Great Dao, descending from beyond all worlds.

Within every black lotus stood a shrine shrouded in black mist.

Countless believers, dense as a dark tide, sat cross-legged around the lotuses in layers resembling stairways. Upon every step were devout worshippers.

They chanted obscure and incomprehensible verses, their eyes blazing with fanatic fervor. Threads of black mist coiled around them before rapidly converging into the shrine like surging waves.

The heavens changed.

Black clouds rolled across the sky, accompanied by torrential black rain pouring mercilessly upon the world.

Universes shattered.

Black rain fell.

Mountain ranges collapsed.

Worlds decayed.

Vast stretches of land cracked apart. Rivers and mountains withered and dried up. Endless deathly energy rose from every corner.

Drawn by some mysterious force, this deathly energy spread toward every direction of the Ethereal Sacred Domain, rapidly eroding the surrounding universes and worlds.

Entire continents could be seen collapsing.

Cities crumbled.

Kingdoms perished.

Regardless of race or species, the moment living beings were contaminated by this deathly energy, they descended into madness and bloodlust. They attacked anyone they saw without hesitation—whether old friends and loved ones or even their own children and disciples.

The earth was filled with cries of despair. Although the Four Great Families of Ethereal Sacred City immediately dispatched experts to suppress and eliminate the threat, it proved completely ineffective.

The Black Lotus Cult had been waiting.

During the first few days of the grand assembly, they had refrained from acting, merely lying in wait for this moment.

Scenes of devastation were reflected in the eyes of countless experts throughout the Ethereal Sacred Domain.

“Damn it! These Black Lotus Cult followers are truly despicable!”

“They’re deliberately trying to destroy our Ethereal Sacred Domain and turn it into a land of death!”

Many native cultivators and inhabitants of the Ethereal Sacred Domain were enraged. Ignoring all danger, they charged towards the gigantic black lotuses in an attempt to destroy them.

However, many indistinct black figures sat upon the lotuses.

Wrapped in terrifying deathly energy, their eyes were cold and indifferent, as though all living beings in the world were beneath their notice.

Faced with the charging cultivators from countless universes, they merely glanced at them indifferently.

Then, with a single finger pointed forward while chanting hymns about the descent of the Black Lotus and the salvation of all beings, boundless black divine light erupted around them.

Containing incomparable destructive power, it instantly disintegrated every charging figure.

The black lotuses slowly bloomed. Every petal appeared demonic and sinister, yet at the same time carried an inexplicable sacred aura.

It was as if a vague and supreme figure truly sat within each shrine, gazing compassionately upon the world and seeking to deliver all living beings.

Across distant universes, people could already hear the strange and grotesque chants.

The sound made their entire bodies uncomfortable. Their souls seemed on the verge of leaving their bodies.

“The Immortal Dao Alliance Assembly can only be suspended for now. Our highest priority is to expel these Black Lotus Cultists.”

Many elders and disciples of the Ethereal Sect transformed into streams of divine light and joined the battlefield.

Unfortunately, even Ethereal Sacred City itself had fallen into chaos. Within many families, certain members had unknowingly become corrupted and suddenly struck from behind.

Chaos.

Screams.

Grief.

Rage.

All kinds of emotions spread throughout the Ethereal Sacred Domain. The various True World civilizations that had been closely observing the situation were likewise shocked and horrified.

If someone were to observe from outside the Ethereal Sacred Domain, they would discover streams of black mist drifting in from every universe.

The mist grew denser and denser until it became an endless sea of darkness that completely enveloped the entire region occupied by the Ethereal Sacred Domain.

Nothing within could be clearly seen anymore.

The mist possessed strange powers. It blocked divine senses. It concealed heavenly secrets.

Even physical bodies found it difficult to break through and enter.

“Could it be they intend to completely seal off the Ethereal Sacred Domain? They’ve truly gone mad…”

Ancient figures felt both dread and disbelief.

The Black Lotus Cult was simply too bold. At that moment, the eyes of countless civilizations were focused upon the Ethereal Sacred Domain.

Not to mention the many ancient powerhouses gathered there. This was practically equivalent to declaring war upon the entire Boundless Expanse. Moreover, even Gu Changge, the current Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Defying Alliance, was present.

How could the Black Lotus Cult dare do such a thing?

The Black Lotus Sacred Realm

Within a dark and profound underground palace, a blood-red pool churned as mist swirled through the air. The armored figure sat there, breathing heavily while staring at the mass of flesh floating before him like a beating heart.

Black mist intertwined around him, flooding the underground palace. Yet within the dark pool, the current scene of the Ethereal Sacred Domain was clearly reflected.

Countless strands of faith power converged into the pool.

After becoming polluted and corrupted there, they transformed into torrents of black rain that poured down upon the world. Watching the ever-spreading black mist eventually envelop the entire Ethereal Sacred Domain and form a gigantic cocoon-like region, his eyes grew increasingly fervent.

The Black Lotus Sacred Realm was the foundation upon which he intended to replace and recreate the Black Lotus Lord.

The Immortal Dao Alliance Assembly had gathered nearly every notable True World civilization and ancient orthodox in the Boundless Expanse. It was the perfect nourishment.

Not to mention the presence of someone like the Heaven-Defying Alliance Leader himself.

“The Ancestor Void has always been cautious. He wants me to deal with the Heaven-Defying Alliance while also shifting all the disasters caused by the Black Lotus Cult onto its Alliance Leader.”

“I truly wonder what he is thinking.”

“As for that Alliance Leader, isn’t he already trapped within the Black Lotus Sacred Realm, destined to become my nourishment?”

A cold smile appeared on his face.

Ancestor Void’s Calculations

Outside the Small Western Sacred Domain, within a void beyond the world, stood an incomparably vast hall.

Clouds rolled endlessly around it, making it seem like the dwelling place of ancient immortals.

A vague and indistinct figure sat at the center of the hall.

Magnificent sacrificial chants echoed throughout the surroundings, as if all the Buddhas and gods of heaven were praising him.

The figure seemed reflected across the past and future, between existence and nonexistence.

Real yet unreal, like an illusion.

Like dew and lightning.

“Ancestor, Wuxiang should already have acted according to your instructions in the Ethereal Sacred Domain.”

Wu Xuzi of the Heavenly Decay Eight Tribes stood respectfully within the hall.

The Wuxiang he mentioned was the leader of the Wuxiang Tribe among the Eight Tribes of Heaven’s Mandate. He had once followed the Lord of Heaven’s Mandate.

When Heaven’s Mandate collapsed, Wuxiang took part of its legacy and disappeared into seclusion.

For countless years, no one knew his whereabouts.

True to his name, he remained untouched by the rolling five aggregates and mortal world, with no fixed residence and no fixed form. Finding him was extraordinarily difficult.

“Wuxiang has always feared the power of the Lord of Heaven’s Mandate.”

“Upon learning that the Lord is about to awaken, he certainly won’t be able to remain still for much longer.”

“He has little time left.”

“If I don’t use this chess piece now, the Lord of Heaven’s Mandate will likely destroy him soon enough.”

“Then all my years of effort would be wasted.”

Ancestor Void’s face continuously changed before finally becoming a featureless face without eyes, nose, or mouth.

The sight was extremely bizarre.

Wu Xuzi asked in confusion, “Ancestor, if that’s the case, why have Wuxiang attacked the Heaven-Defying Alliance Leader?”

“Haven’t you already confirmed his identity?”

Ancestor Void’s eyes were silver-white and pupil-less.

Streams of time seemed to flow within them.

Looking into the void before him, he calmly replied, “I need this chess piece to confirm something for me.”

“The Fate Lord and I made a transaction.”

“He does not know the true identity of the Heaven-Defying Alliance Leader.”

“But he has always been cautious and unwilling to personally reveal himself.”

“So he wishes to borrow my hand to test the Alliance Leader’s true strength before deciding his next move.”

Wu Xuzi immediately understood.

“That Fate Lord is nothing more than a greedy coward who fears death.”

“How dare he make a deal with you, Ancestor?”

“Isn’t he afraid of eventually suffering backlash and having both body and soul destroyed?”

Ancestor Void calmly replied, “The Fate Lord is actually quite bold.”

“But he doesn’t have much time left either.”

“If he still refuses to enter the game, then once the waters of the Boundless Expanse are thoroughly stirred up and certain things emerge, he’ll lose his opportunity.”

“So he is very anxious now.”

“Unfortunately, the path he chose was wrong from the very beginning.”

“No matter how far he walks it, he is only continuing down the wrong road until it reaches its inevitable end.” Wu Xuzi sneered.

“Someone already walked that path long ago.”

“You kindly warned him before, yet he insisted on continuing.”

“Isn’t that simply courting death?”

Ancestor Void pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

“If he were willing to abandon certain things, there are places that would still accept him.”

“He would not necessarily end in death.”

“But since he insists on continuing, I suspect he is still seeking authority.”

“Authority…”

Wu Xuzi’s expression changed drastically.

He secretly glanced beyond heaven, and only after noticing nothing unusual did he relax.

How much authority remained in the Boundless Expanse today?

Almost every known authority was either already controlled by someone or had been abolished. If the Fate Lord truly sought authority, he would likely die without a burial place.

“Ancestor, there is one thing I still don’t understand.”

“We don’t need to interfere with the Black Lotus Cult, correct?”

“Are we simply waiting for the Fate Lord’s move before deciding whether to act?”

Ancestor Void closed his eyes. His aura seemed to sink into complete emptiness.

“I gifted that piece of flesh to him as a token of loyalty precisely for this day.”

“Wuxiang is arrogant by nature and submits to no one.”

“The only thing he fears is the Lord of Heaven’s Mandate.”

“After learning that the flesh originated from the Lord himself, he naturally became even more fearless.”

“After all these years, he should already understand how to utilize its power.”

“I also wish to see just how much strength the Lord of Heaven’s Mandate still possesses.”

“Has something truly gone wrong with him?”

“Or is he simply waiting for the fish to take the bait?”

Ethereal Peak had already descended into complete disorder. The grand assembly had been disrupted, and guests from all sides wore ugly expressions.

Many of their disciples and followers had already suffered varying degrees of corruption from the Black Lotus Cult. Everyone had originally believed the gathering would proceed smoothly.

No one expected another accident. Previously, all attention had been focused on whether the Heaven-Defying Alliance might cause trouble.

Almost nobody paid attention to the other factions of the Boundless Expanse.

Although the Black Lotus Cult’s rapid rise was partly due to the chaotic state of the era, many suspected that dark races were secretly supporting them.

Otherwise, they would never have dared act so brazenly.

“Just what exactly is the origin of this Black Lotus Cult?”

“They knew we were holding a grand assembly here and still deliberately disrupted it. This is a blatant provocation.”

“In my opinion, today is the perfect opportunity for all of us to join forces and completely eradicate this so-called Black Lotus Cult.”

“The dark races have grown far too arrogant. Do they really think we’re afraid of them?”

“Now that we’re establishing the Immortal Dao Alliance to unite against them, they must finally be feeling threatened.”

A foundation-level expert from a supreme True World civilization spoke. He possessed cultivation at the Ancestor Dao Realm. His eyes turned icy.

Standing up, his true form expanded instantly to tens of thousands of feet in height, towering over heaven and earth.

With a single thought, an enormous divine sword appeared behind him.

It cut through galaxies and annihilated universes. Then it slashed directly towards one of the gigantic black lotuses in the distance.

“This Black Lotus Cult is extremely strange. It may not be easy to deal with.”

Many guests on Ethereal Peak watched with trembling hearts. Soon, their expressions darkened.

The scene they expected—of the black lotus being destroyed in a single strike—never occurred.

Within the endless black radiance, a terrifying black hand covered in scales emerged. It casually grabbed the incoming sword.

The resulting shockwave destroyed countless surrounding stars.

Yet the black lotus itself remained completely unharmed.

The believers gathered upon it seemed entirely unaware. Their expressions remained devout and fanatical.

Wherever the black lotus drifted, torrential rain fell, carrying a corrupting and sinister aura that polluted the world.

The sight made the native races of the Ethereal Sacred Domain look extremely grim.

Gu Changge Watches

“Alliance Leader, could it be that the Black Lotus Cult intends to wipe us all out at once?”

Several high-ranking members of the Heaven-Defying Alliance asked, deeply shocked.

A perfectly good assembly had been forced to end prematurely because of the Black Lotus Cult.

At first, nobody had taken this suddenly emerging cult seriously.

Who could have imagined it possessed such audacity?

Inside the vast and magnificent hall, many ancient beings merely frowned as they observed the distant battlefield.

None acted. None voiced any position.

They intended to wait and see. Although the Immortal Dao Alliance had already been established, that did not mean they would immediately help the Ethereal Sacred Domain solve this crisis.

The Black Lotus Cult’s origins were mysterious and unknown.

Acting recklessly before understanding the situation would only result in unnecessary losses. Especially since they were standing within the Ethereal Sacred Domain itself.

The Ethereal Sacred Ancestor had not even acted yet.

Why should they be in such a hurry?

“The Black Lotus Cult certainly has courage.”

“But it doesn’t possess that much capability.”

Gu Changge sat casually upon a jade immortal platform in flowing white robes. His tone was indifferent. He had already anticipated this development.

If the Black Lotus Cult had made its move, then the Fate Lord was probably becoming unable to remain patient as well.

From the current situation, however, the Black Lotus Cult was merely a pawn. The true players remained hidden behind the scenes.

Whether it was the Fate Lord or Ancestor Void, both were still concealing themselves.

Were they trying to force him to reveal himself? Or test the depth of his strength?

Their calculations are remarkably aligned.

Unfortunately, my target isn’t either of them right now.

Gu Changge’s gaze remained calm and all-knowing.

At that moment, a cold snort resounded. The heavens above the Ethereal Sacred Domain shook violently.

Stars trembled.

The cosmos dimmed.

The Ethereal Sacred Ancestor had already accumulated considerable frustration during this assembly.

Now he finally acted. With a sweep of his sleeve towards a distant black lotus, countless universes appeared within his sleeve.

Endless starlight glittered. Myriad Dao techniques manifested. Infinite chains of laws intertwined.

Like a vast waterfall of laws, they crashed downward and engulfed the black lotus.

“The Ethereal Sacred Ancestor’s strength is truly unfathomable.”

“He has already surpassed ordinary Ancestor Dao Realm experts.”

“With him guarding this place, perhaps even the Heaven-Defying Alliance Leader won’t need to act in order to resolve this Black Lotus Cult disaster.”

“I wonder what the mastermind behind the Black Lotus Cult is planning.”

“The dark races still haven’t appeared.”

The gathered foundation-level figures all felt their hearts tremble at the fluctuations.

As foundations of major True World civilizations, none of them were weak.

The weakest among them had already survived six Heavenly Decay Tribulations. Most were Ancestor Dao Realm experts. This was a force capable of overlooking all living beings in the Boundless Expanse, with very few equals in existence.