The second section: five hundred years against time consciousness

Legend has it that there exists a River of Light and Shadow in this world, sustaining the world's flow. By using the power of the Spring Autumn Cicada, one can reverse its course and return to the past.

Opinions on this legend vary greatly among the people. Many do not believe it, while some remain skeptical.

Almost no one truly believes it.

This is because using the Spring Autumn Cicada requires sacrificing one's life, offering one's entire body and all cultivation as the driving force.

The cost is too high, and what's even more unacceptable is that after sacrificing one's life, the outcome remains uncertain.

Even those who possess the Spring Autumn Cicada dare not use it recklessly.

What if the legend is false, merely a deception?

If Fang Yuan hadn't been desperate, he wouldn't have used it so quickly.

But now, Fang Yuan is a firm believer.

The irrefutable fact is right before his eyes. He has indeed been reborn!

"It's a pity about this fine Gu. I went through untold hardships, slaughtering tens of thousands, invoking the wrath of heaven and earth, and finally refining it after much toil..." Fang Yuan sighed inwardly. Although he had been reborn, the Spring Autumn Cicada hadn't accompanied him.

Humans are the spirit of all things, and Gu is the essence of heaven and earth.

Gu are diverse and innumerable. Some Gu vanish completely after one or two uses, while others can be reused as long as they are not excessively consumed.

Perhaps the Spring Autumn Cicada is a one-time-use consumable Gu.

"Even if it's gone, I can refine another one. If I could do it in my previous life, why not in this one?" Fang Yuan's heart surged with ambition despite the regret.

His rebirth made the loss of the Spring Autumn Cicada entirely acceptable.

Moreover, he still possessed a treasure, far from empty-handed.

That treasure was his five hundred years of memories and experience.

His memories contained countless treasures, now untouched by anyone. They contained numerous major events, allowing him to grasp the course of history easily. They held countless figures, some hidden masters, some genius prodigies, some yet to be born. They also held the heavy experiences of five centuries of arduous cultivation and rich combat experiences.

With these, he undoubtedly held the upper hand and the advantage. With proper maneuvering, to dominate the mortal world and reclaim the grandeur of a great demon overlord would be entirely possible. He might even reach higher realms!

"So how should I proceed..." Fang Yuan, ever rational, quickly composed himself and pondered as he faced the night rain outside the window.

At this thought, a myriad of possibilities came to mind.

After a moment of contemplation, his brow furrowed deeper.

Five hundred years is indeed a long time. Not to mention the blurry, forgotten memories, even the treasures and opportunities he remembered were mostly either thousands of miles away or required specific times to be accessed.

"The key is still cultivation. Currently, my prime sea is yet to be opened, and I haven't embarked on the path of a Gu Master. I'm essentially a commoner! I must cultivate quickly, increase my cultivation, and seize the initiative before history unfolds."

Moreover, without sufficient cultivation, even if he obtained those treasures, he couldn't fully utilize them. They would become burdensome liabilities, attracting trouble.

The first problem before Fang Yuan was cultivation.

He had to quickly improve his cultivation. If he progressed as slowly as in his previous life, he'd miss his opportunities.

"To quickly enhance my cultivation, I must leverage the clan's resources. In my current state, I have no means of navigating the perilous mountains. Even an ordinary wild boar could claim my life. If I could reach the cultivation of a Rank Three Gu Master, I'd have basic self-defense abilities, enabling me to traverse mountains and rivers in this world."

From the perspective of a demon overlord honed over five hundred years, Qing Mao Mountain seemed too small, and Gu Yue Village felt like a prison.

Yet, while the prison constrained freedom, its sturdy walls often represented a form of safety.

"Hmph, for now, I'll bide my time in this prison. Once I reach Rank Three as a Gu Master, I'll leave this desolate place. Fortunately, tomorrow is the Enlightenment Ceremony, and soon after, I'll officially begin my Gu Master training."

Thinking of the Enlightenment Ceremony, long-sealed memories resurfaced in Fang Yuan's mind.

"Qualification, huh..." Looking out the window, he couldn't help but laugh coldly.

At that moment, the door was gently pushed open, and a young boy entered.

"Brother, why are you standing by the window getting rained on?"

The boy was slim, slightly shorter than Fang Yuan, and bore a striking resemblance to him.

Fang Yuan turned to look at the boy, a complex expression flashing across his face.

"It's you, my twin brother." He raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression returning to its usual coldness.

Fang Zheng lowered his head, staring at his toes—a trademark action of his: "I saw your window wasn't closed, so I wanted to come in quietly to close it. Tomorrow is the Enlightenment Ceremony. If you don't rest now, uncle and aunt might worry."

He wasn't surprised by Fang Yuan's coldness, as his brother had always been this way.

Sometimes he thought maybe geniuses were just different. Despite looking so much like his brother, he felt as insignificant as an ant.

Born from the same womb, why was heaven so unfair? It endowed his brother with diamond-like talent, while he was as ordinary as a pebble.

Everyone around him would say, "This is Fang Yuan's brother."

His uncle and aunt often admonished him to learn from his brother.

Even when he looked in the mirror, he sometimes loathed his own face!

These thoughts had been accumulating for years, weighing on his heart like a boulder. Over the years, Fang Zheng's head hung lower, and he grew more silent.

"Worry..." Thinking of his uncle and aunt, Fang Yuan let out a silent snort in his heart.

He remembered clearly that the parents of this body had perished during a clan mission. At the age of three, he and his brother had become orphans.

Their uncle and aunt had used the guise of caretaking to openly seize their parents' inheritance, treating him and his brother harshly.

As a transmigrator, Fang Yuan had planned to bide his time. But life's hardships forced him to display "talents" beyond ordinary.

The so-called genius was merely the rationality of a mature soul and a few eternally famous poems from Earth.

Even this slight show of talent amazed everyone, garnering widespread attention. Under external pressure, young Fang Yuan had to adopt a cold demeanor to protect himself and minimize exposure.

Over time, coldness became his habitual expression.

Thus, their uncle and aunt could no longer treat him and his brother harshly. As he grew older and his future seemed brighter, their treatment improved.

But this was not love; it was an investment.

His brother, however, didn't see the truth, remaining deceived by their uncle and aunt and harboring resentment toward Fang Yuan. Despite his current obedient demeanor, Fang Zheng's true feelings had surfaced after being discovered to have A-grade qualifications and receiving clan support. He had often targeted, harassed, and oppressed his elder brother.

As for Fang Yuan's own qualifications...

Heh, at best, they were only C-grade.

Fate loved to play jokes.

Twins, yet the elder had C-grade qualifications and bore the genius title for years. The younger was unremarkable yet had A-grade talent.

The enlightenment results shocked the clan, reversing the brothers' statuses and treatment.

The younger brother soared like a dragon, while the elder fell like a phoenix.

Thereafter came the younger brother's harassment, the uncle and aunt's cold stares, and the clan's contempt.

Hate?

Fang Yuan once hated. He hated his lack of talent, the clan's ruthlessness, and fate's injustice.

But now, with five centuries of life experience, he viewed this period with a calm heart, devoid of hatred.

What was there to resent?

In his brother's shoes, he could understand him, their uncle and aunt, and the righteous enemies who besieged him five hundred years later.

Survival of the fittest was the world's essence.

Moreover, everyone had their aspirations. Competing for opportunities, suppressing, and killing each other was not beyond comprehension.

Five centuries had made him see through it all, leaving only the pursuit of the path to immortality.

Anyone obstructing his quest, regardless of who, would face life-or-death struggle.

His ambition was vast, and treading this path meant inevitable opposition, solitude, and constant battles.

This was the resolve forged by five centuries of life.

"Revenge is not my goal; compromise has no place in a demonic path." At this thought, Fang Yuan couldn't help but laugh. He turned to his brother, glanced at him indifferently, and said, "You may leave."

Fang Zheng's heart skipped a beat, feeling his brother's gaze like a sharp blade piercing deep into his soul.

Under such a gaze, he felt naked in the snow, with no secrets at all.

"See you tomorrow, brother." Not daring to say more, Fang Zheng gently closed the door and retreated timidly.