Chapter 1
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Chapter 1: The Ascension’s Dawn, The Dream’s Awakening
In this world, there are those born with an air of the extraordinary.
At the tender age of three, he embarked on the art of sword crafting; by five, his swordplay was already blossoming. At six, he had begun to carve his niche, and by seven, he set forth from home to apprentice under various masters. Yet, the true masters of the blade were not so easily encountered, and none could guide him for more than a moon. By eight, he had defied his mentors time and again, wandering into the wilds to live a life as raw and untamed as the land itself. With nature as his tutor, he learned the grace of birds and the stealth of beasts, forging his own styles of movement, footwork, and swordsmanship. After five years, he emerged from the untamed wilderness, armed with a three-foot blade, challenging warriors across the land. Victorious in a hundred duels, he stood as the paragon of young swordsmen. At sixteen, he faced the martial arts grandmaster, the Sword Demon, Du Guo Bai Tian, and tasted defeat for the first time. A year later, he distilled all he had learned into the “Heart Sutra of Demon Extinction,” and in a cavern, amidst the whispering bamboo, he conceived the “Willow Catkin Drifting with the Wind” technique. With this new skill, he challenged the Sword Demon once more and emerged victorious. The martial world hailed him as the “God of Wind,” a master among the elite. For the next five years, he vanquished the elder masters, until none could stand against him.
In the vastness of the martial realm, he stood alone at the summit, seeking an adversary but finding none. In desperation, he turned his own prowess into his adversary, mastering the art of ambidextrous combat, which elevated his skills to new heights. For three years, he moved beyond the sword, finding the spirit of the blade in every blade of grass, every twig. Two more years passed, and he forgot all the martial arts he had known. Only then did he truly step into the sacred hall of martial arts. At the age of thirty, he challenged warriors from all corners with his sword, and none dared to claim defeat. At thirty-three, he shattered the void and ascended to the heavens in broad daylight, leaving behind the “Heart Sutra of Demon Extinction” and the “Willow Catkin Drifting with the Wind” technique for those fated to find them. Alas, his legacy of martial arts sparked a thirty-year bloodbath in the martial world.
—— “Martial Chronicles: The Legend of the Sword God, Feng Yun Wu Ji”
—— Penned by Bai Xiaosheng.
If ascending to the heavens in daylight signifies the pinnacle of martial arts, then I have reached that zenith. Yet, standing atop this peak, I realize that everything has only just begun. — The words of Feng Yun Wu Ji.
“Welcome to the ancient era, spanning 12 trillion years, you are the 17894564th to ascend. As your guide, I hope you can endure the harshness of this era and truly join our ranks.” Before his eyes even opened, Feng Yun Wu Ji heard an aged voice from above.
The ordeal of transcending the heavenly tribulation had drained all his vital energy, leaving him enveloped in an unprecedented exhaustion, too weary even to rise. Gasping for breath, he inhaled a tattered essence that wrinkled his brow in disgust.
“Is this not the realm of immortals?” he asked, clinging to a sliver of hope.
“No, there has never been a realm of immortals,” came the concise and clear reply.
“As the first to ascend in ten millennia, you have three chances to ask questions you wish to know, and you have just used one.”
Feng Yun Wu Ji finally mustered some strength, opening his eyes to behold a gaunt elder, his forehead etched with the marks of time, standing quietly amidst a desolate and ravaged landscape, regarding him with indifference.
Surveying his surroundings, Feng Yun Wu Ji was struck dumb with astonishment. This place bore no resemblance to the idyllic celestial realm he had imagined, but was a scene of utter devastation, as though scarred by countless dreadful wars.
The shock was fleeting, and Feng Yun Wu Ji quickly composed himself. After a moment of silence, he used his second chance: “Tell me what I must know.”
A flicker of admiration crossed the elder’s eyes, followed by a look of solitude and melancholy. With a heavy sigh, the elder suddenly inquired, “In your view, are humans the pinnacle of creation, with all other beings beneath us?”
“Undoubtedly, is there any question?”
“Then I must sadly reveal a truth to you: humans have never been at the top of the food chain. On the contrary, in this multi-dimensional cosmos, we are, in fact, the most inferior of beings.” The elder’s words were as earth-shattering as they were unexpected.
“There has never been a realm of immortals; it was but a fabrication we wove to inspire you, a deception to help you break free from your confinement.”
“What!” His blood boiled with indignation, a sense of betrayal clutching at his heart, threatening to suffocate him. After a brief silence, Feng Yun Wu Ji sprang to his feet, seizing the elder’s neck in a fit of rage: “Why? Why is this so?”
“Is this to be your third question?” The elder’s demeanor remained undisturbed, as if oblivious to the hand at his throat. At this, Feng Yun Wu Ji released him as if jolted by electricity.
“When I first learned of this truth, I too was lost and bewildered,” the elder sighed, gazing at the young ascendant with eyes filled with deep compassion.
“Might makes right, survival of the fittest, an unchanging law of the universe. Yet humans are exceedingly weak. To bolster our race, we had no choice but to create this prison. Trapped within, you could not perceive this truth. ——Do not shake your head, yes, our kind is far too few and frail. The common folk from whence you came are not truly recognized by us, though we were once among them.”
“Remember what I told you earlier? You are the 17894564th to ascend. Ha, a staggering number, yet I must tell you it is minuscule, negligible when compared to the hordes of beasts, demons, or even the feathered angels, whose populations are counted in the hundreds of billions, if not more. And it must be said, demons and angels are born far stronger than humans. Does your joy at ascending remain? Do you think I jest?”
“I regret to inform you that this is the reality. For the next three years, you will receive any assistance you desire. Do not consider it brief; it is a period granted only after we have paid a great price. Within three years, if you fail to become a worthy contender, you will be mercilessly culled. Demons would likely relish the taste of a true human. If that comes to pass, it would indeed be a lamentable affair.”
“Now, you may ask your third question.”
The young ascendant seemed not yet to have decided on his third question, remaining silent. The elder before him appeared in no hurry, patiently awaiting his query.
“Given what you’ve said, this world operates on the law of the jungle, with demons seemingly feeding on humans. If that’s the case, then tell me, how is it that a mere few tens of millions of humans have managed to survive in this world?”
Thinking it a simple question, he was surprised when no answer came after a long while. Looking up, Feng Yun Wu Ji noticed a peculiar expression on the elder’s face, a mix of reminiscence, admiration, and yearning.
With another heavy sigh, the elder gazed earnestly at the young ascendant, saying, “I hope your arrival may improve our human plight. As for your third question, every species has its formidable beings, capable with ease of annihilating the space you once inhabited. Among humans, there are undoubtedly such mighty individuals.”
“You have exhausted your three opportunities; now be silent. On your journey to the Martial Arts Sanctum, you are forbidden to speak without my permission.” With those cold words, the elder seized Feng Yun Wu Ji’s arm and took flight.
The wind roared in their ears as they sped through the sky. Glancing down, Feng Yun Wu Ji’s gaze swept over the primeval forest below, where powerful demons were locked in combat with colossal ancient beasts, while others huddled in groups, feasting on gory chunks of flesh.
…