I am The Fated Villain

Chapter 1522: Ling Yuxian and Jing Xiao, the clues

The five congenital canals were the Long River of Luck, the Long River of Destiny, the Long River of Destruction, the Long River of Calamity, and the Long River of Luck. These five long rivers were said to have appeared when the world was still in a muddy and primitive state, a time when the turbidity was not yet divided, and heaven and earth had not yet transformed.

These five congenital canals were shrouded in mystery and ethereal in nature. The most well-known of these was the River of Fate, which governed the evolution of the destiny of all living beings and matter in the world, representing infinite development and change—unpredictable and enigmatic. The Long River of Destruction, often referred to as the Long River of Extinction, symbolized the end and culmination of all substances in existence.

Every living being’s life was, in fact, reflected by the Long River of Extinction. When this river flowed through, it signified destruction and closure, indicating that things had reached their conclusion. Thus, no living being could directly gaze upon the Long River of Extinction, let alone perceive its flow. The very traces of its passage would obliterate any material existence, much less living beings.

The Lord of Zixiao Mountain had never encountered the Long River of Extinction. He had only learned of the immortal binding demonic art while investigating various ancient secrets, which seemed to be connected to the Long River of Extinction. There was once an entity that witnessed the traces of this river, discovering the lost immortal binding demonic art within those traces. However, this was merely a rumor, and the Lord of Zixiao Mountain could not ascertain its truth.

The higher one ascended in cultivation and the loftier the vantage point one attained, the more one could perceive their own insignificance. The Lord of Zixiao Mountain did not even dare to imagine what sort of existence had created the immortal binding demonic art. Although the Xi Yuan civilization was already one of the civilizations at the pinnacle of the boundless world, it still found it challenging to grasp the truths of this universe.

Before the emergence of the Xi Yuan civilization, there existed an even more ancient and barbaric era—what a glorious and splendid age that was.

Immortals, Buddhas, and sages filled the sky like bright stars, but how could such outstanding talents shine so dazzlingly? As the Lord of Zixiao Mountain reflected on these matters, he grew increasingly awed and maintained an eternal respect for everything that remained from those times.

Meanwhile, Gu Changge was unaware of what was unfolding in Zixiao Mountain. He had no knowledge of why the immortal binding demonic art had been disseminated there. If he hadn’t sensed the aura of Chan Hongyi, it might have still existed in the long river of past years within the Dao Chang Realm. He even wondered if Chan Hongyi possessed some means to conceal it from the world, and even from him, manipulating the past of the Xi Yuan Civilization and laying out plans long ago.

However, the Xi Yuan civilization was one of the most powerful civilizations, and crossing the long river of time would come at a terrifying cost. Even Gu Changge would hesitate to attempt it, and he didn’t believe Chan Hongyi had the capability to do so.

In the glowing cave, he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes reflecting deep contemplation. Behind him, a white-haired old man respectfully reported, “Report to my lord. The original founder of Yu Xian Palace was surnamed Jing, but now there is no lineage of the surname Jing in Yu Xian Palace. Among the elders I know, there seems to be no one named Jing, but among the younger generation of disciples, there are quite a few with the surname Jing…”

The white-haired old man was the dean of the Yu Xian Academy in the Taiyuan Ancient Domain, possessing the cultivation base of an immortal emperor. However, his life and death were now at Gu Changge’s mercy, so he naturally obeyed only Gu Changge’s orders.

“Is there no elder named Jing?” Gu Changge asked, shaking his head slightly, his heart growing more perplexed. He had thought he could uncover some clues by peeling back the layers. Yet, who would have imagined that the founder of Yu Xian Palace would be so decisive, as if he had completely vanished from the palace’s history, leaving no trace or connection with Yu Xian Palace in later times?

In this way, even if he wanted to trace the cause and effect to determine where the founder of Yu Xian Palace had lived in seclusion, it would be a futile effort. The dean of Yu Xian Academy nodded, his gray-haired face filled with doubts.

“However, based on what your lord said, I have also inquired about some matters, though they might not align with your investigation,” he explained.

“Oh? What’s different?” Gu Changge asked, looking up at him.

The dean of Yu Xian Academy continued respectfully, “Ling Yuxian, the top individual of the contemporary Yu Xian Palace generation, had some conflicts with a female disciple named Jing Xiao, which caused quite a stir within the palace. Fortunately, the female disciple was not injured. Moreover, Jing Xiao seems to have some background and has not faced any punishment for the incident. The current palace master of Yu Xian Palace even summoned her. Otherwise, Jing Xiao would have been penalized to some extent for her confrontation with Ling Yuxian, given her identity.”

He discovered this information by chance while inquiring about the elders surnamed Jing in Yu Xian Palace. The female disciple, Jing Xiao, appeared to possess a somewhat mysterious background. When he later tried to investigate further, he found himself at a loss. The only detail he could ascertain was that Jing Xiao hailed from a small place called Jingguo in Xiyan Prefecture.

Xiyan Prefecture was merely a continent within the Shengyang Ancient Domain, and compared to the entire Shengyang Ancient Domain, it could be considered a minuscule location. There were hundreds of dynasties, large and small, in Xiyan Prefecture, with Jingguo being just one of them. Thus, this female disciple named Jing Xiao came from such an insignificant force.

Among the disciples of Yu Xian Palace, they could only be described as ordinary, even humble, yet they had been summoned by the palace master. Yu Xian Palace, like Zixiao Mountain, Lingshen Cave, and other formidable forces, stood as one of the most powerful entities in the Xi Yuan civilization. The significance of being the top individual of the same generation was not merely a matter of words. Even Zi Yunchuan, Zi Susu, and others from Zixiao Mountain were not regarded as the foremost figures of their generation within that realm.

Ling Yuxian, mentioned by the dean of Yu Xian Academy, could be considered a living legend of Yu Xian Palace today. She overshadowed her peers, looming like a massive mountain above everyone else. Even the young leaders of other supreme forces would experience a sudden change in expression and feel immense pressure when her name was mentioned.

Numerous tales circulated about Ling Yuxian. Some claimed she was an ancient monster who had long resided in Yu Xian Palace, having once claimed the title of the best among her generation in the ancient era of the Xi Yuan civilization. Others suggested she was the heir of the current palace master, possessing terrifying talent, but had been hidden away since childhood, with her true abilities only recently revealed to the world.

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The conflict between Jing Xiao and Ling Yuxian was, in fact, tied to a secret from the past. However, the dean of Yu Xian Academy had been unable to uncover this secret despite his inquiries. He suspected that the elders in Yu Xian Palace had intervened to block the information and had strictly prohibited the disciples from discussing it.