In the Medieval Antiquity era, within the Southern Border, rose Hua Shan Mountain. Its imposing silhouette loomed tall against the evening sky, a testament to nature's grandeur. With rugged slopes cloaked in lush greenery and rugged cliffs that scraped the heavens, it commanded respect from all who beheld it.
Long Hua Shan Mountain's defining feature was its possession of a sacred spirit spring, rendering it a highly sought-after location for cultivation.
Amidst the lush landscape of Long Hua Shan Mountain, nestled the proud inhabitants of the He An clan. Known as a formidable presence among the mid-sized clans, they were proud of their achievements and heritage. On this particular day, the entire village was adorned with vibrant decorations, casting a festive aura over the winding streets. Colorful banners fluttered in the gentle breeze, while intricate lanterns hung from eaves, casting a warm glow upon the cobblestone paths below. The air was filled with laughter and joyous chatter as villagers donned their finest attire, eagerly joining in the lively festivities. Dancing and singing filled the streets, a vibrant celebration befitting the occasion.
The cause for such celebrations was one and only...the anticipated birth of the clan patriarch's first son. Foretold by esteemed gu masters renowned for their medicinal expertise, the entire clan awaited with bated breath for the proclamation of the birth of the heir to the He An legacy...
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In a lavishly decorated chamber, a woman of captivating beauty lay upon a regal bed adorned with intricate golden embroidery. Even in slumber, her dark locks cascaded around her, framing her soft and alluring features. Her complexion, reminiscent of polished jade, glowed with a delicate radiance, enhancing her beauty even further.
Seated beside her was a burly man with rugged features and a dense beard. His gaze lingered lovingly on his sleeping wife, a tender expression softening his strong face, and he couldn't help but think that marrying her was the best decision of his life. Despite the agony of childbirth, she bore it without a single complaint. Her status as a rank 4 Gu Master did not diminish the impressive feat of her endurance.
"You did great, dear...now you must rest," the burly man whispered, his large, calloused hand gently caressing her beautiful face.
"Now..." the man began, tearing his eyes from his wife and looking down towards the cloth-wrapped bundle he held gently in his other hand. "What do we have here..." His voice contained endless warmth, despite the big smile on his face that could be quite intimidating.
"Waaah..."
From within the wrappings, the strong cry of a baby echoed in the room, which only seemed to make the buff man's smile grow wider.
"Hahaha! What a strong shout! You, my son, will surely become a strong gu master just like your Father!" He An Zhao Long, the rank 5 patriarch of the He An Clan, strongly declared, his gruff voice shaking the very room in which he stood...and earning him an angry look from his wife, whom he had just awakened from her rest.
Alas, her anger melted away like ice under the summer heat the moment she laid eyes upon her son. This was the happiest day of both hers and her husband's life, and nothing could hope to ruin it. This sentiment was shared equally among the clan, and as they drank and partied in celebration, they failed to notice the dark clouds slowly covering the once-clear sky.
"How should we name him, husband?" Miao Yin, the wife of Zhao Long, spoke in a sweet voice as she held their sleeping son against her chest, gently rocking back and forth.
"His name shall be the same as my late father's, a peak rank 5 existence! His name shall be He An Chen We—"
*BANG*
Alas, Zhao Long didn't manage to finish his sentence because of a world-shattering explosion resounding in his ears!
He didn't have a moment to process it! In an instant, both he and his wife had been reduced to dust! Not a shred of flesh remained, not even their souls had been spared. Their entire existence had been obliterated!
The reason behind this cataclysm was a bolt of lightning descending from the heavens. It appeared as a raging serpent of electricity, its brilliance blinding and its roar deafening as it cleaved through the air with unfathomable power.
And the devastation it brought was not confined to Zhao Long and his wife alone! The entirety of Hua Shan Mountain lay shattered and desolate. Where once stood a towering peak, now only a vast crater remained, a gaping wound in the earth's surface. The entire He An clan, from the eldest elder to the most innocent child, had been obliterated, their existence wiped out in an instant!
But how could a mere lightning storm unleash such cataclysmic devastation? Indeed, ordinary lightning would not possess such potency. However, this storm wielded power akin to a quasi-rank 9 attack! Had its fury not been aimed towards a single mountain, thousands of li of land would have been ravaged by its unstoppable might!
But what could have provoked such a heavenly tribulation to descend upon the He An clan? One must know that this clan was comprised solely of mortals, and it possessed no heaven-defying secrets. So, was the annihilation of the clan merely a stroke of ill fortune? Was it their fate to be so ruthlessly obliterated?
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Not at all!
The reason for the attack now lay at the base of the crater that once held the Hua Shan Mountain.
It was none other than the newly born son of the He An clan head!
Gone was his earlier child-like behavior. Instead, he gazed upon the ominous skies with icy eyes devoid of fear.
He lay sprawled on the scorching earth, disregarding the searing agony lancing through his back as the remnants of his soul struggled to flee his body, attempting to escape before the dark clouds amassed enough power for another strike.
But he was unable to! It seemed that each time his soul managed to escape his body, the time around him rewound a few seconds, making him a prisoner in his own body!
Still, he persisted in his attempts to escape his predicament, his gaze unwavering even as another bolt of lightning descended from the sky.
Even though he knew he would be unable to survive.
'Interesting...' was the only thought that crossed the demon's mind as the second lightning bolt struck him head-on, obliterating his body and soul just like it had the rest of the He An clan.
For a moment, everything went silent. Mortals and immortals alike struggled to comprehend what they saw, as the cataclysm was visible even from thousands of kilometers away. Some covered their mouths in shock, others stared wide-eyed at the distant horizon, unable to process the devastation that unfolded before them.
And then, in the aftermath, an even more unbelievable scene unfolded. Time itself seemed to halt its relentless march, freezing everything in its tracks. Birds hung motionless mid-flight, leaves suspended in the air, and the ripples on nearby ponds stood still as if captured in a painting.
As if by magic, the deep crater began to slowly fill, grains of sand drifting upwards and stones inching back into place. The once shattered Hua Shan Mountain, now nowhere to be seen, began to rise again, its pieces reassembling in a mesmerizing display of nature's power. Rocks floated gently into position, trees straightened, and the earth itself seemed to knit back together with impossible precision.
As the lightning that struck the mountain seemed to seep out of the earth and ascend towards the sky, it left in its wake alive and healthy people and intact buildings. The energy of destruction reversed its course, undoing the devastation it had caused.
People and structures appeared to move backward, retracing their last steps before the lightning struck. Trees that had been torn asunder knit themselves back together, while shattered homes rebuilt themselves brick by brick. The once desolate landscape gradually transformed back into a bustling community, as if time itself had decided to rewrite history.
After a while, the phenomenon stopped just as miraculously as it began, leaving the restored mountain and its surroundings bathed in an eerie calm. It was a moment of bewildering wonder, a testament to the inexplicable forces at play in the world.
If one were to look at the Hua Shan Mountain now, they would find it looking exactly the same as before calamity struck! The mountain stood tall and proud against the backdrop of the sky, its slopes lush with greenery and its peak crowned by swirling clouds.
Below, in the village of the He An clan, life continued as if the recent events were nothing but a distant memory. People laughed and chatted, the decorations adorning the streets adding to the festive atmosphere. It was as if time itself had rewound, returning the village to the moment just before the news of the birth of the clan's heir.
Alas, what was supposed to be a day of celebration swiftly turned into one of mourning. In the highest building of the village, where the Clan head resided, He An Zhao Long, a man known for his strength of character, had a stony face, small tears falling from his eyes as he watched his newborn son.
The baby's cheeks were not rosy, his eyes were not open, nor did he make any sound...
The baby, who should have been named Chen Wei, died at birth...
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"Humans are above all creatures. Gu are the essence of heaven and earth. In this world, there are thousands of species, a countless number of Gu. They live everywhere around us – in the soil, in the bushes, even on the bodies of wild beasts."
"As humans continued to propagate and grow in number, the scholars of the past gradually uncovered the mysteries of the Gu. Those who have opened the aperture, using their own primeval essence to feed, refine, and manipulate these Gu – the people who have achieved these are what we call Gu Masters."
"And all of you have successfully opened your aperture in the Awakening Ceremony 7 days ago. With the coagulation of the primeval sea, right now, you are all Rank one Gu Masters."
In the village academy, the academy elder spoke with confidence and composure. In front of him were 57 students, seated and listening attentively.
At least, most of them were...
"Look, he's still sleeping," someone whispered, pointing at a student from the back of the class.
"He's been sleeping continuously for a week, yet he's still not awake?" someone interjected.
"But wait, there's more. I heard that he was up all night, wandering around at the edge of the village."
"I've heard it too. Some say he's seen holding a wine jar, completely drunk, outside..."
Gu Yue Qin slowly opened his eyes, directing his attention towards the Academy Elder, disregarding the chatter about the time-traveling devil. As he feigned interest, his mind drifted back to the memory that had just unfolded in his consciousness.
He was the one possessing the body of the baby, a couple million years ago—or it would be more fitting to say those were the memories of another split soul of Negary, which attempted to infiltrate the world. That is to say, this was Negary's second attempt to infiltrate the Gu World...
'And the first expedition was truly enlightening' mused Qin as the academy elder continued to drone on about the very basics of cultivation. His main body had learned a lot from that attempt, such as the fact that his split souls would not be treated as the usual Otherworldly demons arriving in this world from the void.
Instead, the moment heaven's will discovered his existence, it wasted no time in launching an attack against him. Even the will of Red Lotus Demon Venerable seemed to have contributed to eradicating his clone. As for the reason for such a drastic action, it could have been because of his status as an active invader of the world or something that Star Constellation and Red Lotus predicted he would do if he had time to grow. Qin didn't know, and he didn't really care.
The most important part was learning from that failure, and learn Negary did. Instead of granting his clone overwhelming strength from the get-go, like he did with the first clone which could resist a quasi-rank nine attack from the moment of its birth, he opted for a more subtle approach in his second attempt...
The Fate Devouring Soul Gu