"Fang Yuan, hand over the Spring Autumn Cicada quietly, and I will give you a quick death!"
"Old Demon Fang, stop your futile resistance! Today, our major orthodox sects have allied together to trample your demon lair. We have already cast an inescapable net here; you will surely be beheaded this time!"
"Fang Yuan, you damned demon! To refine the Spring Autumn Cicada, you slaughtered millions of lives. You have committed monstrous sins, unpardonable and too numerous to record!"
"Demon! Three hundred years ago, you insulted me, took my purity, massacred my entire family, and exterminated my nine generations. Since that moment, I have longed to eat your flesh and drink your blood! Today, I will make you beg for death!!"
…
Fang Yuan stood in a tattered green robe, his hair disheveled and his body bathed in blood, looking around.
The mountain wind blew his blood-stained robe, making it flap like a war banner.
Bright red blood kept flowing outward from hundreds of wounds on his body. Just standing there for a moment, a large pool of bloody water had accumulated beneath his feet.
Surrounded by enemies, there was no longer any route of survival.
The outcome was sealed; death was inevitable today.
Fang Yuan saw through the situation with utmost clarity, but even with death approaching, his expression remained unchanged, his face serene.
His eyes were dark, like an ancient deep pool, unfathomable as always.
The orthodox heroes besieging him were either distinguished sect elders of high status or famous young heroes known far and wide. They tightly surrounded Fang Yuan at this moment; some were roaring, some were sneering, some narrowed their eyes with vigilant glints, and some clutched their wounds, looking on with fear.
They did not strike, all wary of Fang Yuan's desperate counterattack before death.
The tense standoff lasted for six hours. As the sun set in the west, the afterglow ignited the evening clouds by the mountain, making them brilliant like fire for a time.
Fang Yuan, who had been as still as a sculpture, slowly turned around.
The heroes instantly caused a commotion, simultaneously taking a large step back.
At this moment, the pale gray rocks beneath Fang Yuan's feet had already been dyed dark red with blood. His face, which appeared pale from excessive blood loss, was illuminated by the evening sunset, suddenly gaining a touch of captivating radiance.
Looking at this green mountain and the setting sun, Fang Yuan smiled softly: "The setting sun over green hills, the autumn moon and spring breeze. Truly, morning hair like black silk turns to evening snow; right and wrong, success and failure, all turn to nothing."
As he spoke these words, scenes from his past life on Earth suddenly surfaced before his eyes.
He was originally a Chinese student on Earth, transported to this world by chance. Wandering and struggling for three hundred years, dominating the world for over two hundred years; more than five hundred years of time seemed vast, yet passed in the blink of an eye.
Many memories buried deep in his heart became vivid at this moment, replaying lifelike before his eyes.
"Failed in the end, huh," Fang Yuan sighed in his heart, somewhat emotional, but not regretting it.
He had foreseen this kind of outcome long ago. When he made his choice back then, he was mentally prepared.
The so-called Demonic Path means not cultivating good karma, but killing and setting fires. Intolerable to heaven and earth, enemies with the whole world, yet still acting unrestrained and dominating freely.
"If the newly refined Spring Autumn Cicada is effective, I will still be a demon in the next life!" Thinking this, Fang Yuan could not help but laugh aloud.
"Old Demon, what are you laughing at?"
"Everyone be careful, the demon is at death's door and is going to counterattack!"
"Quickly hand over the Spring Autumn Cicada!!"
The heroes pressed forward, and exactly at this time, with a loud boom, Fang Yuan decisively self-detonated.
…
The spring rain pattered down continuously, silently nourishing Qingmao Mountain.
The night was already late, and a slight cool breeze blew along with the drizzle.
Yet Qingmao Mountain was not dark. From the waist of the mountain down to the foot, many faint lights glimmered, as if draped in a brilliant ribbon of light.
These lights originated from rows of stilted houses. Though not quite tens of thousands of lights, they numbered in the thousands.
This was exactly the Gu Yue Village situated on Qingmao Mountain, adding a rich touch of human presence to the vast, quiet mountain ranges.
In the very center of Gu Yue Village stood a grand and magnificent pavilion. Currently, a sacrificial ceremony was being held, hence it was brightly lit and resplendent.
"May the ancestors protect us, hoping that many youths with excellent aptitude will emerge in this Awakening Ceremony, adding fresh blood and hope to the clan!" The Gu Yue Clan Head, with a middle-aged appearance and slightly frosted temples, dressed in a solemn, plain white sacrificial robe, knelt on the brownish-yellow floorboards. Keeping his upper body straight, he pressed his palms together, closed his eyes tightly, and prayed sincerely.
He faced a tall, black-lacquered altar. The altar had three tiers, enshrining the spirit tablets of the ancestors. On both sides of the tablets sat copper incense burners, with smoke curling upward.
Behind him knelt over ten others in the same manner. They wore loose white sacrificial robes; all were clan elders and decision-makers of the family, holding power in various aspects.
After praying for a moment, the Gu Yue Clan Head led the way by bending at the waist, placing his palms flat against the floorboards, and kowtowing. His forehead touched the brown floorboards, making gentle tapping sounds.
The elders behind him, each with solemn expressions, followed silently.
For a time, the clan shrine was filled entirely with the soft sounds of foreheads hitting the floorboards.
With the ceremony concluded, everyone slowly stood up from the floor and quietly walked out of the solemn shrine.
In the corridor, the elders let out a silent breath, the atmosphere easing up.
The sounds of discussion gradually arose.
"Time truly passes too fast; in the blink of an eye, an entire year has gone by."
"The previous Awakening Ceremony feels like it happened just yesterday, still vivid in my mind."
"Tomorrow is the annual Awakening Ceremony. I wonder what kind of fresh clan blood will emerge this year?"
"Sigh, I hope a youth with A-grade aptitude appears. Our Gu Yue clan has not seen such a genius appear in three years."
"Indeed. Bai Village and Xiong Village have both seen geniuses emerge in recent years. Especially Bai Ning Bing of the Bai family, his natural talent is truly terrifying."
Not knowing who brought up the name Bai Ning Bing, a layer of worry involuntarily appeared on the faces of the elders.
This youth's aptitude was extremely outstanding; in just two short years, he had already cultivated to become a Rank 3 Gu Master. Among the younger generation, he could be called unparalleled. Even the older generation felt the pressure from this rising star.
Given time, he would inevitably become the pillar of Bai Village. At the very least, he would be a powerhouse capable of standing on his own. No one had ever doubted this point.
"However, among the youths participating in this year's Awakening Ceremony, it is not without hope."
"Right, a genius youth has appeared in the Fang family line. He could speak at three months and walk at four. By age five, he could compose poems and recite lyrics; incredibly intelligent and overflowing with talent. It is just a pity his parents died early, and he is now being raised by his aunt and uncle."
"Yes, he has early wisdom, and has grand ambitions. I have also heard of the 'Offering Wine', 'Ode to the Plum Blossom', and 'Jiangchengzi' he created in recent years. Truly a genius!"
The Gu Yue Clan Head was the last to walk out of the ancestral shrine. Slowly closing the door, he heard the discussion sounds of the elders in the corridor.
He instantly knew that the elders were currently discussing a youth named Gu Yue Fang Yuan.
As the head of a clan, he naturally paid attention to outstanding and prominent juniors. And Gu Yue Fang Yuan was the most dazzling and prominent one among the younger generation.
And experience showed that those naturally gifted people who possessed a photographic memory or adult-like strength from a young age often possessed excellent cultivation aptitude.
"If this child tests out with A-grade aptitude, with proper nurturing, he might not be unable to contend with Bai Ning Bing. Even if it is B-grade aptitude, he will definitely be able to stand on his own in the future, becoming a banner of the Gu Yue clan. However, with his kind of early wisdom, the possibility of B-grade is small; it is highly likely to be A-grade." As this thought arose, the corners of the Gu Yue Clan Head's mouth inevitably curled up slightly, revealing a smile.
Immediately, he coughed and said to the respective elders, "Everyone, it is getting late. For tomorrow's Awakening Ceremony, please make sure to rest well and conserve your energy tonight."
Hearing these words, the elders paused slightly. The gazes they cast at each other all hid a trace of vigilance.
The Clan Head's words were subtle, but everyone fully understood his meaning.
Every year, in order to fight for these talented juniors, the elders would argue among themselves until their faces were red and heads bled.
It was time to rest and gather strength, waiting until tomorrow to fight that battle.
Especially that Gu Yue Fang Yuan, the possibility of A-grade aptitude was extremely high. Moreover, his parents had already passed away; he was one of the only two remaining orphans of the Fang line. If he could be taken into one's own lineage and nurtured well, it could guarantee a hundred years of unending prosperity for their own branch!
"However, I will say the ugly words upfront. Compete purely and fairly; you cannot use underhanded schemes that harm the unity of the family. Elders, please keep this firmly in mind!" The Clan Head instructed with a severe tone.
"We would not dare. We would not dare."
"We will definitely keep it in mind."
"We will take our leave now, Lord Clan Head please stay."
The elders, filled with their own thoughts, dispersed one by one.
Shortly after, the long corridor became deserted and quiet. The spring rain and slanted wind blew over through the window. The Clan Head stepped lightly, walking to the window.
Instantly, he drew in a lungful of fresh, moist mountain air, refreshing his heart.
This was the third floor of the pavilion. The Clan Head looked out, taking in more than half of Gu Yue Village at a single glance.
At this late hour of the night, most of the households in the village still had lamps lit, which was vastly different from normal times.
Tomorrow was the Awakening Ceremony, concerning everyone's vital interests. An atmosphere of excitement and nervousness shrouded the hearts of the clan members, naturally resulting in many who could not sleep soundly.
"This is the future hope of the clan." With specks of lamplight reflected in his eyes, the Clan Head let out a long sigh.
Meanwhile, at this exact moment, a pair of clear eyes was similarly quietly watching these glimmering lights in the deep night, filled with complex emotions.
"Gu Yue Village, this is five hundred years ago?! The Spring Autumn Cicada really worked…" Fang Yuan's gaze was deep. He stood by the window, letting the wind and rain beat against his body.
The effect of the Spring Autumn Cicada was to reverse time. Being ranked seventh among the Top Ten Mystical Gu, it was naturally no small matter.
Simply put, it meant rebirth.
"I utilized the Spring Autumn Cicada to be reborn, returning to five hundred years ago!" Fang Yuan reached out his hand, his gaze steadily looking at his young, tender, somewhat pale palm. Then he slowly clenched it tight, forcefully feeling this reality.
Beside his ears was the slight sound of drizzle hitting the window frame. He slowly closed his eyes, and only opened them after a long while, letting out a sigh: "Five hundred years of experience, it really is like a dream."
But he knew very clearly that this was absolutely not a dream.