Chapter 1311: The Destiny of the Cicada Clan, Doomed to Perish and Turn to Ashes

I Am the Fated Villain

“Master…”

In the distance, a silver-haired girl joyfully ran towards the woman in green, her steps light and seemingly full of happiness.

“Jiu Mei, you’ve come out of seclusion?”

The cold and beautiful woman in black glanced at the woman in green with slight surprise, but her expression quickly returned to its usual calm.

“Greetings, Ninth Princess.”

The remaining figures in white robes also bowed respectfully as the woman in green approached.

“I’ve come out of seclusion.”

The woman in green slightly nodded, her gaze turning to the black feathers slowly descending in the burning sky. She said, “The root of this disaster was caused by me. I have evaded many eras, but it is time for me to face and resolve everything.”

“Are you sure about this? When you escaped during the ritual, the High Priestess lost face in front of all the clans. If it weren’t for her concern about the strength of our clan’s ancestral grounds, she probably wouldn’t have let it go so easily, brushing this matter aside.”

“If you go to visit the High Priestess now, you may very well face her humiliation,” the woman in black said with a frown.

“Third Sister, rest assured. I’ve already made up my mind. No matter the consequences, I will bear them.”

“Big Sister was forced to offer herself as a sacrifice due to me and has been in solitude for countless years, unable to share her suffering with anyone. If I can’t endure this small bit of humiliation, how will I ever have the face to meet Big Sister again?”

“How will I face Mother and the others?” The woman in green shook her head slightly, her tone calm and gentle.

Upon hearing this, the woman in black and the others showed expressions of mixed emotions.

“Nine Miss has finally grown up,” said an elderly voice, filled with relief.

For these years, the High Priestess of the Ancient Civilization had been dispatching strong figures to search for the whereabouts of the woman in green. Because she had escaped during the sacrificial ritual, the High Priestess lost face in front of all the clans. Furthermore, it triggered the wrath of the True Realm, leading to boundless terrifying consequences.

Although later, the eldest princess of the Cicada Clan had replaced the Ninth Princess as the sacrificial offering and was sent to the other side, temporarily calming the fury of the True Realm, the High Priestess had not forgotten the loss of face she suffered in front of all the clans. Known for her narrow-mindedness and petty nature, she continued to send strong individuals to track down the Ninth Princess, intending to capture her and bring her back.

Had it not been for the Cicada Clan’s ongoing efforts to cover the Ninth Princess’s tracks and conceal her aura, she would have likely been found long ago.

Now it seemed that the Ninth Princess had finally matured, making their years of protection and effort worthwhile.

“Third Sister, I don’t know what will happen when I visit the High Priestess this time. If I don’t return safely, then I’ll trouble you to take care of the True Realm I created with the fire seed from the Immortal Dao Civilization.”

“Speaking of which, I, as the true spirit of that True Realm, failed to protect them when foreign enemies attacked or when great calamities descended. I don’t know what has happened to them now.”

The woman in green sighed lightly, seemingly lost in thought, her eyes showing a faint trace of longing. However, this emotional fluctuation quickly vanished, and her face returned to calm.

Upon hearing this, the woman in black nodded and said, “I understand. Don’t worry about this. Although I didn’t step into that True Realm, I could tell that its fortune was flourishing. It won’t face any major troubles for a while.”

“For a new True Realm to advance to an ancient True Realm, it not only requires long periods of time and accumulation but also needs to overcome many trials and tribulations. Don’t worry too much. In the vastness of the world, countless new True Realms are born and perish every day.”

“The fire seed from the Immortal Dao Civilization you bestowed upon that True Realm is the greatest blessing it could have received.”

The woman in green slightly nodded, not saying anything further. She then turned and walked towards the distance, preparing to leave.

The silver-haired girl, seeing this, hurriedly followed, shouting, “Master, wait for me! I want to go with you!”

The woman in green seemed slightly helpless, letting out a barely audible sigh. “I should have left you with him back then. Staying by my side has brought you no good.”

However, the silver-haired girl clearly didn’t hear her soft murmur. She quickly caught up, linking her arm with the woman in green’s and looking up at her affectionately.The woman in black in the distance couldn’t help but shake her head in resignation. After a moment, she seemed to think of something, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.

When she first saw the little Wangyue outside the Daochang True Realm, she thought it had a trace of Immortal Blood, and that with proper cultivation, it would surely one day bring back the glory of its distant ancestors.

However, after bringing the little Wangyue back to the Cicada Clan, she soon discovered how lazy and gluttonous the creature was. It was incredibly sluggish when it came to cultivation, spending its days eating, drinking, and sleeping soundly.

Though Ninth Sister, the woman in green, repeatedly denied that she was the true master of the little Wangyue, claiming instead that someone else was its true owner, the woman in black could clearly see that this was likely due to the embarrassment Ninth Sister felt in admitting that she was the master. She didn’t want to acknowledge that she was responsible for the little Wangyue.

However, despite this, the Cicada Clan, which had been dull and lifeless for years, had gained new vitality ever since the arrival of the Ninth Sister and the little Wangyue. Even their mother, who was nearing the end of her life, often wore a comforting and gentle smile on her face.

“It’s a shame that Big Sister will never see this…” The woman in black thought of something, and her mood darkened. The smile on her face slowly faded away.

She then turned her gaze to the elderly figure and asked, “Elder Qing Cang, how are the matters I asked you to investigate coming along?”

As she spoke, she waved her hand, signaling the others to leave.

“Elder Qing Cang, the matter you asked me to investigate is starting to show some signs. However, please forgive this old man for not understanding—why are you suddenly so interested in that power, which is bound to face reckoning sooner or later?”

The elderly figure, known as Elder Qing Cang, was a highly respected and revered figure within the Cicada Clan. Upon hearing her question, his face showed a look of confusion. He simply couldn’t understand.

After all, the very name of that power was one that even he didn’t dare to speak lightly. He didn’t even dare to think about it in his mind for fear that he would attract unwanted attention or scrutiny, potentially leading to unimaginable consequences.

The Ancient Civilization, unlike civilizations like the Xiyuan or Xudan, was actually a vanguard of the True Realm. It could receive orders and summons from the True Realm.

Of course, there were many such vanguard civilizations like the Ancient Civilization, located in the vast expanse of the True Realm. Often, the celestial tribulations and reckoning were initiated by these vanguard civilizations, receiving instructions from the True Realm and acting before the larger masses could respond.

There were even ancient rumors circulating within the Ancient Civilization, suggesting that in its deepest regions, there lay an eternal being from the True Realm, a supreme life form. This entity, with bloodlines connected to some of the most unfathomable existences from the True Realm, would awaken before the arrival of a celestial tribulation. It would lead the reckoners to harvest souls across the vastness of the world.

Because of this, the Ancient Civilization had a far deeper understanding and reverence for the True Realm than other mighty civilizations.

“It doesn’t matter. Just tell me everything you’ve found out,” the woman in black said, interrupting Elder Qing Cang’s thoughts. Her cold, beautiful face showed no visible change in emotion.

Elder Qing Cang hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. “Recently, the Xiyuan Civilization has been undergoing a significant event, which happens to be related to that very power. Various Daoist factions have united with the former sages who once resisted the Tiantian Organization, intending to formulate a Xiyuan Covenant to curb the development of this power.””But I feel that, given the foundation of the Xiyuan Civilization, it will be difficult to stop the rise of that power. They may even face disaster. The creators of that force are terrifying, and their intentions are hard to fathom…”

“All the civilizations and kingdoms are watching the movements of the Xiyuan Civilization, including several factions from the Ancient Civilization. If the Xiyuan Civilization does indeed sign the Xiyuan Covenant, it would provide an invaluable lesson for all the civilizations.”

The woman in black listened silently, without interrupting. In the end, however, her gaze grew a little deeper, as if lost in thought.

“I understand. Thank you for your efforts, Elder Qing Cang.” She thought about countless things in her mind, and unconsciously, the jade fist under her sleeve tightened.

“Third Princess, you’re too polite. If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave.”

After saying this, Elder Qing Cang, seeing that the woman in black had no further requests, wobbled with his cane and left.

The woman in black stood in silence for a moment, then raised her head to look at the vastness of the universe before turning and walking towards the magnificent palace complex deep within the treetop.

“The Heavenly Extermination Alliance, is it?”

“If it truly happens, could this not be a good opportunity for the Cicada Clan to break free from its destiny?”

She murmured to herself, and at that moment, her eyes gleamed with a kind of chilling ambition.

For the many factions of the Ancient Civilization, just the name ‘Heavenly Extermination Alliance’ alone would be enough to cause fear and shock.

If someone knew her thoughts at that moment, they would undoubtedly think she had gone mad, attempting to bring an unimaginable disaster to the entire Cicada Clan.

“Second Sister, I need to leave the clan for a while. I leave the matters within the clan to you.”

Deep within the palace complex in the treetop, a woman dressed in colorful robes sat cross-legged, her eyes closed. A seven-colored mist enveloped her, and wisps of chaotic fog swirled around her as she breathed. The illusions of countless small worlds flickered around her, radiant and extraordinary.

The woman in black entered and stood quietly within the grand hall, her face still cold and beautiful.

“You’re leaving? Where are you going?”

Upon hearing this, the woman in colorful robes slowly opened her eyes. Her dreamlike, glass-like gaze seemed to reflect the myriad worlds of the heavens. Her voice was incredibly melodious, like the music of the heavens, capable of mesmerizing any man into a state of intoxication, unwilling to wake.

“I’m going to the Xiyuan Civilization,” the woman in black said calmly.

The woman in colorful robes gazed deeply at her, as though she could see through all the thoughts in her heart.

She didn’t stop her, but simply asked, “Are you sure you want to go?”

“I will bear any consequences alone. The entire Cicada Clan has no part in this,” the woman in black replied.

The woman in colorful robes sighed lightly. “Very well, if you insist on going, I cannot stop you. But what about the matter Little Nine entrusted to you?”

“But isn’t the Second Sister here?” The woman in black rarely displayed a trace of a faint smile on her otherwise cold face.

The woman in colorful robes shook her head slightly, choosing not to speak further. She closed her eyes again, seemingly continuing her cultivation.

The woman in black bowed respectfully and then turned to leave the hall, vanishing into the vast space like a streak of black light.

“The Cicada Clan’s fate is not so easily changed. It’s something that countless forebears could not alter. How is it that the clever Third Sister cannot understand this?”

“Let’s just hope you don’t do anything foolish. The protection from the ancestral grounds won’t last much longer for us.”

The woman in colorful robes opened her eyes and gazed at the figure of the woman in black disappearing into the distance. She couldn’t help but sigh softly. She too had long understood the thoughts of her third sister. For some time now, she had been quietly gathering information about the Heavenly Extermination Alliance, and now she was planning to head to the Xiyuan Civilization.

But… Can the Heavenly Extermination Alliance really ‘exterminate heaven’?

For the entire vast expanse, the True Realm is heaven itself. To speak of exterminating heaven is not only disrespectful to the True Realm but also an unimaginable provocation.

What terrifying consequences and retribution would follow, even she couldn’t dare to imagine.

The Cicada Clan was an incredibly unique race in the vast expanse, named after the cicadas that bear the eras.

Each flap of their wings symbolizes the passing of an era, the extinction of living beings.

From ancient times to the present, wherever the Cicada Clan has passed, time has shifted, epochs have cycled, and the world is renewed in a constant flow of life and death.

The relationship between the Cicada Clan and the World Tree is similar to that of the phoenix and the parasitic parasol tree.

The Cicada Clan seeks the World Tree and coexists with it, living and dying together.

The World Tree, known by many names—World Tree, Ancestral Tree, Origin Tree—nurtures all life and births the universe. This is the destiny of the Cicada Clan.

Since ancient times, they have respected their fate, following the will of heaven, honoring and fearing the heavens.

Yet, in the end, the World Tree, which had always been their protector, was severed by the supreme existence from the True Realm. The fate and fortune of their entire race were shattered, and they became the scapegoats of the Ancient Civilization.

If the Cicada Clan had no resentment or desire to escape their fate, that would be impossible.

But what could they do? All living beings in the vast expanse are like fish in the river, trying to escape the current and reach the shore, but in the end, what is their fate? It is extinction and ash.