“965”I AM THE FATED VILLAIN
"965"
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The Boundless Expanse was like an ocean of boiling water letting off the terrifying tri-coloured fog. Even time and space seemed to have frozen still.
The strange beings living in the Boundless Expanse melted away like snow in the Sun. In an instant, they disappeared with not a single trace left behind.
Then, from this mysterious territory, a man who looked unusually young casually walked out.
This scene made the scalps of all the experts of Spirit Ruin True World aboard the ancient battleship tingle. It was as if their greatest enemy was approaching. Chills ran down their spine as they stood rooted to the spot.
Though they called themselves Hunters who searched the Boundless Expanse for a suitable True World to sacrifice, they were no fools. They specifically avoided the terrifying Forbidden Areas recorded in ancient texts, as well as the Ancient True Worlds that had existed for a very long time.
It was not a sign of cowardice. On the contrary, it was just the strong preying on the weak. This was only way to survive in the vast Boundless Expanse. If they valued their lives, they had to follow this rule.
The White Bone Ancestor King was far more powerful than them, so he could board their battleship midway and devour them whenever he pleased. They also dared not resist or express any kind of dissatisfaction.
After ascertaining the precise location of Mountains and Oceans True World and learning that it was merely a new True World with a legacy far poorer than theirs, they rushed over like a hungry predator zeroing in on their prey.
But clearly, the young man before them was not someone they could trifle with.
"My good friend, how should I address you? We stumbled into this area by accident. We did not mean to disturb you."
"If you are displeased, we are willing to compensate you. Please do not take offence."
At this moment, the White Bone Ancestor King was uncertain. Despite his cultivation, he could not get a read on the young man before him. He could only allow the young man to eye them with a strange look in his eyes.
He composed himself and respectfully forced out a few words.
From the very beginning, he felt a deep sense of fear. It was as if some terrifying being was targeting him. His body trembled, but he could not move at all.
It had been too long since he last felt this way. He did not even remember the feeling. It was as if he returned to the start of his cultivation journey.
Even these world-destroying cultivators were mere ants to him now. He could kill them with a flick of his finger.
Initially, he thought that after forgoing his past, he no longer cared about such things. Who would have thought that he would experience this feeling once more?
The feeling continued to intensify.
As the young man observed him, the feelings of fear and uneasiness within him grew clearer.
[He has unfathomable cultivation that far surpasses mine. I don't know the heights he has reached. Perhaps he has already reached the Seventh Decay and is a true Ancestral Dao Realm expert, or perhaps even higher!?]
All kinds of thoughts flashed through the White Bone Ancestor King's head. Filled with resentment, he wanted to kill all those from Spirit Ruin True World. He merely wanted to get a ride after failing to locate a True World around him.
The result, while he was sleeping, they ended up bringing him into such a terrifying territory!
What did an Ancestral Dao Realm expert represent in the vast Boundless Expanse? An Ancestral Dao Realm expert was capable of protecting a True World and surviving billions of epochs without ever declining!
It would not be remiss to say that such a being was one of the rarest and most powerful beings in existence in the Boundless Expanse. It was almost impossible to run into them.
There were several known Forbidden Areas in the Boundless Expanse, and the White Bone Ancestor King remembered them all clearly. He would not be foolish enough to cause a disturbance there.
However, some of these mysterious and terrifying Forbidden Areas did not have a fixed location. They would drift along the Boundless Expanse. No one knew when they would run into one such area.
The White Bone Ancestor King could clearly recall a flourishing and Immortal True World that existed several Great Purges ago. As they wielded the power of their True World in an attempt to become the only True World, they stumbled into a drifting Forbidden Area.
Alas, that Immortal True World was instantly devoured. Not a single scrap was left behind.
Even the most powerful beings from that True World, including those who passed the Seventh Decay and were working towards breaking through the Eighth Decay, could not escape in time. They were devoured along with the True World.
The dangers within the Boundless Expanse were not an exaggeration. Even the White Bone Ancestor King dared not approach unknown places.
Right now, in the eyes of the White Bone Ancestor King, the young man before him was just as dangerous as the Lords of such Forbidden Areas.
The Tri-Hued Fog of Destruction that drifted over earlier was the clearest evidence of that.
Perhaps this was the location of a once-powerful True World that the young man had destroyed and claimed as his Forbidden Area.
[A True Dao Realm expert who has passed the Sixth Decay. It is just as Gu Wuwang had predicted. There is indeed a Lunatic mixed among the Hunters.]
Gu Changge's gaze was a little strange as it swept across the massive ancient battleship.
As he left Prosperous Dao True World, he sensed the activity coming from this ancient battleship and tracked it down.
However, apart from this ancient battleship, Gu Changge also sensed the aura of a Civilisation from another True World coming from a different direction.
Including the ones before him, two separate parties had set their sights on the Prosperous Dao True World.
However, the other party was further away. It would take a little while longer for them to reach Prosperous Dao True World.
Therefore, Gu Changge came over to this side first. He wanted to see if he could gather a few suitable subordinates who could aid in his following plans.
Though there were quite a few living beings onboard this ancient battleship, he mainly eyed the White Bone Ancestor King.
Out of all the ancient cultivators, it was this fellow who had the highest cultivation.
Based on the classification within the Boundless Expanse, this was a True Dao Realm expert who reached the Sixth Decay. He was truly a rare individual.
He could be the true ruler an Ancient True World and influenced its rise and fall.
However, judging by his chaotic Fortuity, he had long since abandoned his past and homeland. Now, he was the Lunatic who roamed the Boundless Expanse that everyone feared.
In the Boundless Expanse, a being like him often represented fear and danger.
The Gu Family's Founding Ancestor had sensed this chaotic and manic aura early on, so that was why he felt deeply afraid. Knowing he could not stand against such a being, he wanted to relocate the Gu Family instead.
However, in Gu Changge's eyes, this being was precisely the pawn he needed.
"Where are you from?" Ripples scattered with each step Gu Changge took, and the turbulent Boundless Expanse gradually calmed down. He strode over to the ancient battleship at a leisurely pace.
Though he spoke in a different language, once one reached a certain cultivation level, one could simply rely on one's divine sense to understand what was being said.
Right now, Gu Changge did not intend to reveal the fact that he came from the Prosperous Dao True World. He figured that since he would be traversing the Boundless Expanse, he would use his Demon Lord identity from the Forbidden Epoch.
"Greetings, friend. I am the White Bone Ancestor King. I don't have a home right now. I merely drift along the Boundless Expanse. I'm not from the same True World as them."
Seeing as how Gu Changge did not seem to be displeased with them for entering this area, the White Bone Ancestor King relaxed a little. That being said, he quickly explained the situation and distanced himself from Spirit Ruin True World.
The experts from Spirit Ruin True World were thunderstruck. No one dared to stop Gu Changge's approach.
Even the slender figure who was the most powerful of them all was deeply fearful.
Someone as arrogant and domineering as the White Bone Ancestor King was being this polite and showing nothing but the utmost respect for this being.
That alone was enough information.
Based solely on appearance, the young man looked like a Transcended Immortal with Dao flowers blooming around him. He had the air and refinement of a peerless deity.
Nevertheless, how many Civilisations had burst forth in the vast Boundless Expanse? How many secrets were there out there? How could they determine a being's origins based on his youthful features?
They could only be described as unfortunate for running into this mysterious and unfathomable being in this place.
"Greetings, sir. I am Wan Yanxiu of Spirit Ruin True World. We did not mean to enter this Forbidden Area. We did not know it belonged to you, sir. We are merely passing through to head to our destination. We mean no disrespect." As thoughts ran through his mind, he sighed softly before speaking up just as humbly and respectfully as the White Bone Ancestor King was.
Even though Spirit Ruin True World was an Ancient True World, it had only just barely passed the threshold of being titled 'Ancient'.
Wan Yanxiu had merely reached the Fourth Decay. In his eyes, even the White Bone Ancestor King was an unfathomable being.
Meanwhile, the young man before him was even more powerful than the White Bone Ancestor King.
Like Wan Yanxiu, the other experts from Spirit Ruin True World also shared similar looks of respect and fear.
The Dao Realm ancient cultivator who had been in charge of navigating the battleship was filled with bitter regret over the fact that he directed the battleship into this territory.
They were already assuming that the territory up ahead was a terrifying Forbidden Area that stretched across the Boundless Expanse. Since they stumbled into such an area and ran into a Lord of the Forbidden Area, if he had a temper, it was unlikely that any of them would be able to escape. They would all meet their doom here.
"Spirit Ruin True World?" Gu Changge cocked his eyebrows, seemingly in surprise, before smiling faintly. "I have never heard of that True World before."
"That is not surprising, sir. Few know of us and we are not powerful by any means. Our True World is declining and has almost withered up entirely. We are travelling through the Boundless Expanse to find a way to save our True World," Wan Yanxiu quickly cupped his hands and responded truthfully.
He expressed these things out of fear that Gu Changge might grow suspicious of them. He did not want Gu Changge to misunderstand anything.
At the same time, he revealed everything about his True World's state so that Gu Changge would not be tempted by it.
The Forbidden Areas within True Worlds could never be compared to the Forbidden Areas in the Boundless Expanse.
The Lords of these Forbidden Areas could slumber through several Great Purges, but once they woke up, unimaginable calamity would befall the surrounding True Worlds.
In the eyes of these Lords of Forbidden Areas, Hunters and Lunatics were merely sustenance to stave off hunger.
Even though Gu Changge seemed Transcendent and ethereal, who knew how long he had been asleep? Who knew who he was, to begin with?
"Almost withered up?" The faint smile on Gu Changge's face remained in place as his eyes flickered over to Wan Yanxiu.
While speaking, he landed atop the ancient battleship.
The other experts from Spirit Ruin True World subconsciously backed away in terror.
"Yes. I would not dare to lie to you, sir. Spirit Ruin True World has long since started to decline, and now, its Fortuity is all but lost. We have already tried all means to save it. In the end, we have to leave with all our experts in hopes of survival…"
Wan Yanxiu's tanned and gaunt face paled as he quickly explained.
Gu Changge's remark seemed like an act of confirming whether Spirit Ruin True World was worth devouring…
True enough, the Lords of Forbidden Areas who awakened from their slumber would immediately search for a True World to devour in order to regain their strength as quickly as possible.
Wan Yanxiu felt deeply sorrowful. The strong preyed on the weak.
When dealing with such a terrifying being, even the slightest mistake would lead to unimaginable disasters for both him and his True World.
Naturally, the White Bone Ancestor King figured out what Wan Yanxiu meant as well.
At first, he had not considered such a possibility, but now, his forehead was beading with sweat.
[Did this fellow declare that Spirit Ruin True World is already in decline because he's scared it could be targeted? Nevertheless, if he did not say so, the True World could very well be devoured.] The White Bone Ancestor King felt even more uneasy now. He sensed Gu Changge's eyes resting on him again.
The strange and suffocating sense of fear washed over him once more. It was as if an invisible hand was tightly clutching his neck.
[Does this mean he's choosing not to devour Spirit Ruin True World and has decided to devour me instead?] The White Bone Ancestor King was terrified. He wanted to flee at once.
"Do you think you can escape if I truly wished to kill you? It's best if you don't attempt something like that in front of me. If not, I will crush you to death. You're almost at the Seventh Decay now. It wasn't easy for you to get this far, right?" Seemingly noticing the White Bone Ancestor King's thoughts, Gu Changge smiled faintly and spoke as indifferently as ever.
The White Bone Ancestor King's True Soul was quaking. He never thought he would encounter such a terrifying situation.
All of his secrets were exposed with just a single glance.
"Y-Yes, sir…" He no longer dared to address the other as 'friend'. Even his voice quivered.
[The Sixth Decay…] Upon hearing the exchange, Wan Yanxiu felt even more terrified.
He guessed that the White Bone Ancestor King had reached the Fifth Decay, so he did not expect the latter to be on the verge of reaching the Seventh Decay.
Within the Boundless Expanse, a being like the White Bone Ancestor King was truly invincible. Even the most powerful beings in the Ancient True Worlds that Wan Yanxiu were aware of were at that level.
Yet, before this young man, such a being could easily be crushed with one hand.