"Fang Yuan, obediently hand over the Spring Autumn Cicada, and I'll grant you a quick death!"
"Old Devil Fang, don't delude yourself into resisting! Today, all the great righteous path sects have joined forces to crush your demon den. Heaven's net and earth's snare have long been laid here—you are doomed to lose your head!"
"Fang Yuan, you damned devil! To refine the Spring Autumn Cicada, you slaughtered tens of millions. Your sins tower to the heavens, unforgivable and too numerous to be recorded even on all the bamboo slips in the world!"
"Devil, three hundred years ago, you violated me, stole my innocence, massacred my entire family, and exterminated my nine clans. From that moment onward, I wished for nothing more than to eat your flesh and drink your blood! Today, I'll make you wish you were dead!!"
Fang Yuan wore a tattered emerald-green robe, his hair disheveled, his whole body drenched in blood as he swept his gaze around him.
The mountain wind sent his bloodstained robe flapping, snapping like a battle flag.
Bright-red blood gushed from the hundreds of wounds across his body. After standing there for only a short while, a great pool of blood had already gathered beneath Fang Yuan's feet.
Enemies surrounded him on all sides; there was no path to survival left.
The general situation had been decided. Death was certain today.
Fang Yuan saw the situation as clearly as fire, yet even with death looming over him, his expression remained unchanged, calm and indifferent.
His gaze was deep and shadowy, like an ancient well or a bottomless pool—unfathomable as ever.
The righteous heroes besieging him were either exalted leaders of grand sects or renowned young talents. They had Fang Yuan tightly surrounded. Some roared, some sneered, some narrowed their eyes with wary glints, while others clutched their wounds and stared at him in fear.
None of them acted. All feared Fang Yuan's desperate counterattack before death.
They remained locked in this tense standoff for three hours. Then the sun sank westward, and its lingering rays set the evening clouds at the mountain's edge ablaze, brilliant as fire.
Fang Yuan, who had stood motionless as a statue, slowly turned around.
The gathered heroes immediately stirred and all retreated a large step.
The gray-white mountain stone beneath Fang Yuan's feet had long been stained dark red with blood. His face, pale from excessive blood loss, was illuminated by the sunset clouds, suddenly acquiring a radiant charm.
Looking at the green mountains and setting sun, Fang Yuan chuckled softly. "Green mountains, setting sun; autumn moon, spring breeze. Truly, hair black as silk in the morning turns to snow by dusk; right and wrong, success and failure, vanish with a turn of the head."
As he spoke, scenes from his previous life on Earth suddenly appeared before his eyes.
He had originally been a student from Huaxia on Earth. By a twist of fate, he had transmigrated into this world. He had drifted and struggled for three hundred years, roamed the world for over two hundred, and more than five hundred years had flowed by leisurely—yet vanished in the blink of an eye.
Many memories buried deep within his heart came alive at this moment, vividly replaying before his eyes.
"In the end, I still failed." Fang Yuan sighed inwardly. He felt some emotion, but no regret.
He had long foreseen such an outcome. From the moment he made his choice, he had been mentally prepared.
The so-called demonic path meant cultivating no good karma, killing and setting fires. Though heaven and earth would not tolerate you and the entire world would become your enemy, you still had to roam freely and indulge yourself.
"If the newly refined Spring Autumn Cicada works, then in my next life, I'll still be an evil demon!" With that thought, Fang Yuan could not help throwing back his head and laughing.
"Old Devil, what are you laughing at?"
"Everyone be careful! The devil is about to launch a final counterattack before death!"
"Hand over the Spring Autumn Cicada, now!!"
The gathered heroes pressed forward. At that very moment, with a thunderous boom, Fang Yuan resolutely self-destructed.
Spring rain fell in endless threads, silently nourishing Qing Mao Mountain.
The night had deepened, and hints of cool wind brushed through the fine rain.
Yet Qing Mao Mountain was not dark. From the mountainside down to its foot, countless faint lights glimmered, as though the mountain wore a dazzling ribbon of light.
These lights came from one stilted building after another. Though they could not be called the lights of ten thousand homes, there were still several thousand of them.
This was Gu Yue village, nestled upon Qing Mao Mountain, lending rich traces of human life to the vast, secluded mountain range.
At the very center of Gu Yue village stood a grand and magnificent pavilion. A sacrificial ceremony was being held there, making it especially bright with brilliant, dazzling lights.
"May our ancestors bless us, that this Aperture Opening Ceremony may produce many youths of outstanding aptitude, adding fresh blood and hope to the Lineage!" The Gu Yue Clan Leader had a middle-aged appearance, frost at his temples, and wore solemn white ceremonial robes. Kneeling upon the brownish-yellow floor with his back straight, he pressed his palms together, shut his eyes, and prayed sincerely.
Before him stood a tall black-lacquered altar table. It had three tiers, upon which ancestral spirit tablets were enshrined. Red-bronze incense burners stood on either side of the tablets, smoke curling upward.
More than ten people knelt behind him as well. They wore loose white ceremonial robes. All were clan elders and decision-makers of the Lineage, each holding authority over different matters.
After praying, the Gu Yue Clan Leader was the first to bend at the waist, spread his hands flat, press his palms tightly to the floor, and kowtow. His forehead struck the brown floor with soft thuds.
The clan elders behind him all wore solemn expressions and silently followed suit.
For a time, the ancestral hall was filled with the soft sounds of foreheads striking the floor.
When the ceremony ended, everyone slowly rose from the floor and quietly walked out of the solemn ancestral hall.
Once in the corridor, the clan elders silently let out breaths, and the atmosphere relaxed.
Discussion gradually arose.
"Time really passes too quickly. In the blink of an eye, another year has gone by."
"The last Aperture Opening Ceremony feels as if it happened yesterday. It's still vivid in my mind."
"Tomorrow is the annual Aperture Opening Ceremony. I wonder what kind of fresh blood the Lineage will see this year?"
"Sigh, I hope an A-grade Aptitude youth appears. Our Gu Yue Clan has not produced such a genius for three years."
"Indeed. Bai Family Village and Xiong Family Village have both produced geniuses in recent years. Especially Bai Ning Bing of the Bai Family—his talent is truly terrifying."
When someone mentioned Bai Ning Bing's name, a layer of worry could not help appearing on the clan elders' faces.
This youth's aptitude was extraordinarily outstanding. In merely two years, he had already cultivated to become a Rank 3 Gu Master. Among the younger generation, he stood alone above the rest. Even the older generation felt the pressure from this rising star.
Given time, he would certainly become the pillar of Bai Family Village. At the very least, he would become a powerhouse capable of holding up one side alone. No one doubted this.
"However, among the youths participating in this year's Aperture Opening Ceremony, it is not as though there is no hope."
"Indeed. A genius youth has appeared in the Fang branch. He could speak at three months and walk at four. At five, he could compose poems and recite lyrics; he was extraordinarily intelligent and brimming with talent. Unfortunately, his parents died early, and he is now being raised by his uncle and aunt."
"Yes, he possesses early wisdom and great ambitions. I have heard of the 'Song of Wine,' 'Ode to the Plum Blossom,' and 'River City' that he composed in recent years. He truly is a genius!"
The Gu Yue Clan Leader was the last to leave the ancestral hall. As he slowly shut its doors, he heard the clan elders discussing in the corridor.
He immediately knew that they were discussing a youth named Gu Yue Fang Yuan.
As the leader of a clan, he naturally paid attention to outstanding and exceptional descendants. Gu Yue Fang Yuan was the most dazzling and remarkable among the younger generation.
Experience showed that those with extraordinary gifts from childhood—such as photographic memory or the strength of an adult—often possessed excellent cultivation aptitude.
"If this youth tests as having A-grade Aptitude, then with proper cultivation, he may not be unable to contend with Bai Ning Bing. Even if he has B-grade Aptitude, he will surely be able to hold up one side in the future and become a banner of the Gu Yue Clan. But with intelligence this precocious, the possibility of B-grade Aptitude is low. He is very likely to have A-grade Aptitude." At this thought, the Gu Yue Clan Leader's lips rose slightly, revealing a faint smile.
Then he coughed and said to the clan elders, "Everyone, it is getting late. For tomorrow's Aperture Opening Ceremony, please make sure to rest well tonight and preserve your energy."
The clan elders were all slightly startled upon hearing this. A hint of vigilance was hidden in the looks they exchanged.
The Clan Leader's words were tactful, but everyone understood their meaning well.
Every year, in order to compete for these talented younger descendants, the clan elders fought each other until their faces were red and their heads bloodied.
They truly ought to replenish their strength and fight it out tomorrow.
Especially Gu Yue Fang Yuan—there was an extremely high possibility that he possessed A-grade Aptitude. Furthermore, both his parents were dead, and he was one of the two remaining orphans of the Fang branch. If he could be brought into one's own branch and carefully cultivated, that branch's prosperity could be ensured for a hundred years!
"However, let me put the ugly words first. Compete openly and honorably. Do not employ underhanded schemes that would harm the Lineage's unity. Please keep this firmly in mind!" the Clan Leader warned sternly.
"Of course not. Of course not."
"We will certainly remember it."
"Then we shall take our leave. Lord Clan Leader, please stay."
The clan elders departed one by one, each filled with their own thoughts.
Before long, the long corridor had become deserted. Spring rain and slanting wind blew in through the windows. The Clan Leader took a light step forward and walked to one of them.
Fresh, moist mountain air immediately filled his mouth, refreshing his heart and mind.
This was the third layer of the pavilion. Looking out, the Clan Leader could take in more than half of Gu Yue village at a glance.
Though it was late at night, most homes in the village still had lights burning, completely unlike usual.
Tomorrow was the Aperture Opening Ceremony, concerning everyone's personal interests. Excitement and tension enveloped the hearts of the clan members; naturally, many could not sleep soundly.
"This is the hope of the Lineage's future." With countless points of light reflected in his eyes, the Clan Leader let out a long sigh.
At this moment, another pair of clear, bright eyes quietly watched the flickering lights in the depths of night, filled with complicated emotions.
"Gu Yue village... this is five hundred years ago?! The Spring Autumn Cicada really worked..." Fang Yuan's gaze was deep and shadowy as he stood beside the window, allowing the wind and rain to strike his body.
The Spring Autumn Cicada's effect was to reverse time. Ranked seventh among the Ten Great Gu, it was naturally no trivial thing.
Simply put, it meant rebirth.
"I used the Spring Autumn Cicada to be reborn, returning to five hundred years ago!" Fang Yuan extended his hand and stared fixedly at his young, tender, somewhat pale palm. Then he slowly clenched it, feeling the reality of it with all his strength.
Fine rain tapped softly against the window lattice beside his ears. He slowly closed his eyes, only opening them again after a long while. With a deep sigh, he said, "Five hundred years of experience truly feels like a dream."
But he knew clearly that this was absolutely not a dream.
(P.S. All right, the new book has finally met everyone. Just as I said farewell to everyone at the end of Supreme Master of Demon Control, the protagonist is very evil, and this book will be heavily controversial. I hope readers can take a look at this book's preface and understand what kind of book this is. Everything that needed to be said has been said in the preface. If you enjoy it, then let us join hands and embark upon this wondrous adventure together. At the beginning of a new book, your bookmarks, recommendation votes, and comments are the best encouragement.)
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