I Am the Fated Villain

Chapter 961: The Dao Chang Realm, a blowout of opportunities

There was a significant contrast between the way of heaven and the way of humanity. The true way of heaven nurtured all things and beings without expecting anything in return.

However, the way of humanity tended to cause harm and provide more than necessary. After all, humans were inherently selfish and driven by selfish desires. They consistently prioritized themselves in all matters.

“To follow the way of heaven means genuinely nurturing all living beings without seeking anything in return.”

Certainly, if Gu Changge wished to do so, he could. The realm he occupied required no external support; a single thought could bring blessings to all living beings. Having completely refined the demon lord’s true blood, Gu Changge essentially no longer needed to deliberately consume the essence to empower himself.

During his transformation into a human being, he also contemplated utilizing the way of humanity to achieve enlightenment and transcendence. The way of humanity and the way of heaven complemented each other, offering numerous opportunities for success. Because whether it was the way of heaven or the way of humanity, fundamentally, it was the evolution of the concept of Dao.

Once standing at the culmination of all tangible and intangible things, he deduced the principles of Daoism, restrained laws, and formulated the essence of Daoism. With nowhere else to go on his current path, the only option was to adhere to the original plan, break free from the initial constraints, and truly ascend.

“My path could be that of humanity, or of heaven, or of the world—countless paths, myriad ways—but it is merely my contemplation. As long as I contemplate, I can create a new path, a new law, a new order of causality…”

Gu Changge spoke softly, his thoughts gradually retracting. Whether it was the way of humanity or the way of heaven, he had gained a profound understanding of their essence.

Tracing back to its origin, Dao had no concept at all; it simply existed without constraints, until it became a concept. Just as the real world of mountains and seas was self-contained, with its destiny stable and prosperous, there was no need for interference.

“A hundred years or a thousand years may not seem long, but for me, it can serve as a foundation to establish the concept of the way of heaven.”

“The fate of all beings is intertwined with the future destiny of the real world of mountains and seas. Fate may be unpredictable, but fortune can be found. In that case, I shall make a grand wish today: if all beings thrive, so shall I.”

“Today, the real world of mountains and seas shall change its name to the Dao Chang Realm.”

Gu Changge contemplated the myriad beings in the real world of mountains and seas, then with a wave of his sleeve, he gathered the accumulated fortune and sealed the Dao Chang Realm. As he recited two magnificent and ancient mantras, they shimmered brightly in the void, descending into the depths of the sky like an infinite universe.

It marked the first time in history that the name of a true world had been altered. When the real world was conceived and born, it was bestowed with a true name, carrying profound significance, making it seemingly immutable.

But today, Gu Changge, fueled by the collective wishes of all living beings, made a mighty decree to rename the Mountain and Sea Realm as the Dao Chang Realm. With the wishes of all beings as its source of power, he would assertively reshape its foundation.

In a sense, the stronger the sentient beings, the stronger the Dao Chang True Realm would naturally become.

“Dao Chang Realm, so audacious. Is this a plan to re-establish this real world and forge a new path?”

The ancestor of the Gu family suddenly rose from his seat in the Gu family’s ancestral hall, his eyes shining with astonishment as he muttered to himself, finding it hard to believe all of this. In terms of his cultivation level, he knew he could never achieve such a feat of renaming the real world. He reckoned that only his distant ancestor possessed such abilities. However, he understood that such a profound act would likely involve immense cause and effect.

Ordinary individuals would have been crushed long ago, not even leaving behind their souls. The name of the real world held extraordinary significance from its very inception, and in a way, it predetermined the future fate of this world.

For instance, the name “Mountain and Sea Realm,” while evoking a sense of vastness and expansiveness, was too simple and ordinary in the vastness of the real world. Over his long lifespan, the ancestor of the Gu family had witnessed numerous worlds like this—Cloud Realms, River Realms, and so on.

In simple terms, within the immense real world, such a plain name lacked the grandeur to bear significant fortune. Since Gu Changge had changed the name of the Mountain and Sea Realm to the Dao Chang Realm, he must have carefully considered the myriad consequences.

“Is it your belief that the real world of mountains and seas won’t endure the looming weight of the future and will collapse prematurely, prompting this grandiose name change?” The ancestor of the Gu family was stunned.

In that moment, a rolling wave of luck blanketed the entire sky. The boundless Dao of light surged forth, stars filling the heavens, and the vast universe converging. Across every universe, cultivators and creatures alike felt the astounding shift. It seemed as though an endless stream of fortune was gathering from every corner of the world, inundating all.

The heavens and earth reverberated with thunder, myriad rays of light interwoven, and countless auspicious hues converging like rivers. Ordinary cultivators may not have comprehended the significance of this phenomenon, but those steeped in ancient wisdom sensed the remarkable change.

Among them was Wang Xiaoniu’s Master, an old man clad in Daoist robes named Jiu Jianxian. He could be deemed the foremost powerhouse conceived and born since the era of the real world of mountains and seas, having reached the half-step Dao Realm. The sheer magnitude of luck within him was unfathomable. Those who reached such heights were individuals blessed with boundless opportunities and unparalleled talent throughout the ages.

“I faintly glimpse the path ahead, a glimmer of light emerging. Perhaps it’s a sign of impending good fortune for me…” In this moment, he too was astonished, not just by the transformations occurring in the real world of mountains and seas, but also by the subtle shifts within his own cultivation.

Having stood at the threshold of the half-step Dao Realm for countless years, he had almost begun to doubt the possibility of further progress. Yet, with the sky ablaze with fortune and blessings reaching every living being, he could faintly discern a ray of hope.

How could this not uplift him? He simply wanted to gaze up at the sky and smile.

“Such benevolence, this old man truly has no way to repay.”

“It’s not just me; I fear it will be difficult for the entire populace and all spirits to repay.”

The old man in the Daoist robe eventually regained his composure, yet his eyes still betrayed his excitement and astonishment as he bowed towards the endless void.

If Gu Changge hadn’t taken this action, he wouldn’t have known when he’d ever have the opportunity to reach a higher realm.

On this day, for the entire Mountain and Sea True World—no, the now-renamed Dao Chang Realm—held extraordinary significance. Almost every living being, even those who had never delved into cultivation, felt its effects.

Of course, the more advanced a person was, the greater the impact, as Gu Changge’s actions aligned with the way of heaven, which nurtured all without seeking anything in return. Thus, the more prosperous the Dao Chang Realm’s fortune, the stronger this world would become.

Gu Changge had effectively reinstated the concept of the Dao of Heaven, essentially becoming the new Dao of Heaven in this realm. Regardless of whether it was the self-centered way of mortals or the altruistic way of heaven, it all stemmed from him. He merely followed his original thoughts and employed the way of heaven as a tool to strengthen himself.

Ultimately, whether it was the self-centered path of mortals or the altruistic way of heaven, if it benefited him, he didn’t hesitate to pursue it.

“Before calamity strikes, there will be countless powerhouses in the Dao Chang Realm. The more of these powerhouses there are, the stronger I will become as the embodiment of the Dao of Heaven.”

“In a sense, I’ve harnessed the power of the Dao of Heaven and integrated it into my own strengths.”

“This could also be deemed my incarnation of heaven.”

Gu Changge’s gaze was profound as he once again swept his hand, seizing the fortune from all races in the heavens. His robe billowed, the fortunes swirling around him, hinting at the emergence of a new world. The winds whispered, thunder rumbled, divine light flickered, and the essence of chaos permeated the air.

It was as if he were reopening the primordial chaos, as the aura of the river of time faded away.

However, reality proved otherwise. Successive treasures of divine weapons were birthed within this space at Gu Changge’s mere thought. Among them were palm-sized small pots, gathering the essence of heaven, earth, sun, and moon, capable of nurturing sacred medicinal plants. There were also white jade holy bottles, able to condense divine medicine and reshape bones, along with the twin swords of the stars, the order of mountains and rivers, the battle spear of gods and demons, and a rusty bronze ancient ring. Various fist-sized light clusters, shrouded in mystery and exuding a supreme aura, also emerged.

With another sweep of his sleeves, Gu Changge drew in some solitary souls wandering in unknown realms and cast them into these light orbs. Among them were reclusive powerhouses and near-fallen dignitaries. Some had their memories sealed by him, while others had “mission” memories implanted.

Furthermore, Gu Changge gathered wisps of innate chaotic energy, shaping them into saplings, seeds, golden scrolls, and shooting stars, and added them to the light clusters. These artifacts rivaled even the seven palm-heavenly artifacts once collected by Gu Changge in the upper realm. Some fortunate items even bore the imprint of Gu Changge’s eccentric tastes.

Clattering sounds echoed as the long river of time blurred, accompanied by the gentle lapping of waves, creating a mesmerizing sight. After contemplating for a while, Gu Changge decided not to scatter these creations into the long river of time. Instead, he flicked his sleeves and scattered them across various locations in the Dao Chang Realm.

Divine light streaked across the sky, descending from the deepest reaches of the universe like a torrential rain of opportunities. If tossed into the long river of time, there would inevitably be unforeseen accidents, potentially altering the past or future events. Hence, Gu Changge opted to test them within the Dao Chang Realm first, before considering any alterations to the entire timeline.

At that moment, the brilliance of the sky scattered like heavy snow across all universes and regions. Some cultivators with remarkable cultivation bases had already sensed the shifts in luck, yet they remained puzzled by the cause. They glanced upward but felt nothing out of the ordinary.

Throughout the universe, the appearance of these lights triggered significant changes in the previously stable fate. In various locations, fortune pools, immortal mountains, treasure lands, and even ancient ruins emerged.

The surging luck within the entire Dao Chang Realm inexplicably swelled at this moment. In a region where martial arts thrived, a very ordinary boy was practicing boxing in the secluded back mountain. However, he accidentally encountered a ferocious tiger and fled for his life, only to stumble into an icy-cold pool.

The pool water was crystal clear and bone-chilling, and as the young man fell into it, it seemed to awaken some powerful presence.

Buzz!!!

In the depths of the pool, a bell containing an innate aura materialized. This bell exuded an aura of heaven’s suppression and harbored countless mysteries and pathways of Daoism. It promptly entered the young man’s sea of consciousness.

An astonishing aura emanated from the boy, frightening the tigers away from the cold pool. Subsequently, he found himself flooded with memories, prompting him to turn away from martial arts and pursue Daoism.

Meanwhile, in an unremarkable sect, an equally ordinary outer disciple tended to the elder’s medicine field, watering and weeding as he went. Suddenly, he stumbled upon a small green bottle emitting a faint glow. Curious, he reached for it, only to feel a searing burn in his palm, causing him to hastily release it. In an instant, the bottle vanished, leaving behind a sensation akin to a hallucination.

Simultaneously, in another location, within a prominent family, a girl bullied by her aunt resorted to feigning madness to evade mistreatment by a malicious servant. Hiding alone in a corner, nibbling on stale, tough steamed buns, her eyes gleamed with determination as she muttered about avenging her biological mother and exacting retribution on those who tormented her.

Suddenly, she noticed a faint golden light emanating from the tattered book she used to prop up the table corner. Setting aside her cold bun, she hastily retrieved the book, and the faint golden light surged directly between her eyebrows.

“Ruthless good fortune,” she chanted the ancient words in her mind.

This was a supreme divine skill that could aid her in condensing her demon body and achieving an immortal form, far surpassing the skills cultivated by the family’s core members.

Similar scenes unfolded across various locations. Throughout the vast expanse of the Dao Chang Realm, amazing visions of varying degrees manifested, bestowing different fortunes upon different individuals.

Some received assistance from their ancestors, while others gained access to divine techniques enabling them to assume others’ identities and wield potent power. Some acquired summoning divine weapons capable of calling upon powerful allies for aid.

Fortunes overflowed, and a myriad of adventures sprang forth like mushrooms after rain.