Chapter 0001: A Great Dream for Thousands of Autumns

His muscles are firm, his physique is well-proportioned, and his skin is tightly stretched over his muscles, giving him a powerful appearance. On his chest, there are three deep claw marks, the origin of which is unknown, left by some ferocious beast, and they have already scarred over

What kind of raptor is this

The mountain gate rises high, and behind the mountain gate lies the dwelling place of the entry disciples of the Sword Gate, where tens of thousands of entry disciples reside

Zhong Yue saw a gigantic white bony claw reaching out from the black haze, grasping the hemispherical protective barrier, producing a creaking and piercing sound, yet failing to break through it

Here lies the sacred ground of the three thousand human tribes, the Sword Gate, spanning a vast expanse of one hundred thousand miles of wilderness

In the midst of the chaos, he reached out and grabbed wildly, finally seizing a branch of an ancient tree that jutted out from the cliff, which halted his descent. Zhong Yue looked up and saw that the dark haze was only four or five zhang away from him. Beside this sturdy ancient tree, there was a hole as thick as a water vat, from which came the sound of rustling. A massive triangular head emerged from the hole, then lifted high, curiously staring at Zhong Yue; it was an unimaginably large python!

Soon, this black pillar rose even higher than Jianmen Mountain, standing straight into the clouds, and then the black haze dispersed in all directions. This scene resembled a gigantic black umbrella slowly unfolding!

Suddenly, the world was engulfed in darkness, with only the Sword Gate Mountain radiating a brilliant light, illuminating the black haze. The rolling, surging black haze pressed down from above, but upon reaching the vicinity of Sword Gate Mountain, it was blocked by the light, as if an invisible curtain of light was guarding Sword Gate Mountain, preventing the black haze from penetrating into the mountain.

Zhong Yue traversed mountains and ridges, when suddenly he faintly caught a whiff of a peculiar medicinal fragrance. The scent was elusive, yet as he gradually approached, the aroma became increasingly intense.

At the heights of Jianmen Mountain, in front of a grand hall, several Qi Refinement practitioners gazed up at the terrifying demonic soul miasma. One of them whispered, "How many outer disciples have ventured out of the mountain gate and have yet to return? I fear they have gone and will not come back..."

The Sword Gate has produced numerous Qi Refiners, safeguarding the vast wilderness of one hundred thousand miles. All individuals from the three thousand human tribes regard becoming a Qi Refiner of the Sword Gate as the highest honor

Zhong Yue became increasingly cautious and finally arrived at the prominent giant rock. Just as he was about to pick the five-spice mushroom, the sky suddenly darkened. He hurriedly looked up, his heart startled.

That skeletal claw is an unknown creature, and even a single phalanx is larger than it!

Zhong Yue turned around, and there were also claw marks on his back. On his left arm, there were scars left by the bites of a ferocious beast. He had more than a dozen scars of various sizes on his body, completely unlike a boy of merely fifteen years old

By the time he entered the Gathering Cloud Mountain, the sky had already brightened, and from time to time, the sound of beast roars echoed through the mountains

A great uproar erupted at the Sword Gate, and with a thunderous sound, the magnificent mountain gate suddenly closed. In the midst of swirling clouds and mist above Sword Gate Mountain, palatial structures shone brilliantly, with the golden roofs radiating countless beams of golden light, illuminating the void and appearing extraordinarily resplendent

The python hissed with interest towards him

The Feather Spirit Pill is the most ordinary of elixirs, and the materials required to refine the Feather Spirit Pill are also quite common. However, even for such a simple spiritual pill, he cannot afford to buy it and can only refine it himself

Is it this lamp that is blocking these strange black mists

Such a tribe has trouble even protecting itself, let alone providing a Qi Refinement practitioner

How could this demonic soul plague erupt ahead of schedule? According to the timeline, it should not erupt until five days later, a disciple of the inner sect murmured

Faint light could still be seen at the bottom of the valley, but it was unclear what was emitting the glow. Suddenly, Zhong Yue heard the sound of wind above him, and he saw a massive skeleton falling from the sky, passing by him and plunging into the depths of the gorge.

It is known that in recent years, Zhong Yue has honed his physique, making him even taller and more robust than an average adult. Moreover, the skeletal claw is so much larger than even a single joint of his that it is hard to imagine just how enormous its owner must be

Zhong Yue got up early, standing by the well with his bare shoulders, drawing up a bucket of water and pouring it over his head, then suddenly shivering, shaking off the drowsiness.

This enormous python possesses astonishing constricting power, being the king among the extraordinary beasts of the wilderness. Even for a Qi Refinement practitioner, slaying such a ferocious creature is somewhat challenging, let alone for him

This place is rarely visited by people, and there are no nearby tribes hunting. There are many ferocious beasts in the mountains. Zhong Yue walks cautiously through the forest, searching everywhere, and soon gathers several types of spiritual herbs.

At this moment, a muffled sound suddenly emanated from beneath the ground, as if some monstrous creature was stirring up trouble underground. Suddenly, in a deep valley not far from Sword Gate Mountain, a torrent of black mist surged forth, erupting into the air like a fountain, spewing forth dark haze!

The giant python just died, what exactly is this black mist ... ... oh no!

In a brief moment, the four-winged golden bird seemed to have been devoured by something in the black haze, leaving only its skeleton

Strange, this person has been dead for so many years, only bones remain, yet this lamp has not gone out

He was taken aback, for the skeleton before him was precisely that of the four-winged golden bird he had just seen

The children of other impoverished commoners do not enjoy this privilege and can only rely on their own diligent practice and hard work

Zhong Yue felt a chill run down his spine as he looked up, only to see dark clouds rapidly approaching along the cliff. He hurriedly began to slide down, but suddenly, with a series of loud thuds, some green vines detached from the cliff face, causing Zhong Yue to fall down along with the vines.

His early descent from the mountain this time was to search for several spiritual herbs in the deep mountains and old forests to refine the Feather Spirit Elixir, nurturing the soul.

Zhong Yue was filled with curiosity and approached to examine it closely. It was only then that he discovered its peculiarities; this skeleton could not be classified as human bones, nor was it seated in a lotus position, but rather in a cross-legged position.

The Sword Gate has its own rules; if one cannot attain spiritual enlightenment before the age of sixteen, they will be expelled from the Sword Gate. Naturally, the children of the chieftains from various tribes in the Great Wilderness have access to various spiritual herbs and elixirs to enhance their cultivation, ensuring that their children achieve spiritual enlightenment before the age of sixteen

In the vast wilderness, there are thousands of human tribes, with small tribes numbering over ten thousand and large tribes boasting populations in the millions. Countless individuals strive to enter the Sword Gate, all aspiring to become registered inner disciples of the Sword Gate and to become Qi Refiners, resulting in fierce competition

Even with ordinary qualifications, as long as there are enough spiritual herbs and elixirs, one can rely on them to become a Qi Refining Master

The light is dim, hardly brighter than a ghostly flame, and seems as if it could extinguish at any moment

The cold valley is deep and secluded, with a thick layer of withered branches and fallen leaves covering the valley floor. The bell tower landed without sustaining much impact. The young man, taking advantage of the faint light, looked around and saw a pile of bones at the bottom of the valley, with flickering ghostly flames. These must be the remains of beasts that perished in the jaws of that giant python and the strange bird.

A magnificent golden bird flew down to the cliff, its wings spanning over 3 meters, and astonishingly, it had two pairs of wings. It was flapping its wings and diving down towards him, its sharp claws glinting with a cold, metallic shine

No one is allowed to leave Jianmen Mountain by even half a step

The danger of the Demon Soul Miasma is unparalleled, and only the Sword Gate can protect this region. No one is allowed to leave the Sword Gate; otherwise, death is certain

Zhong Yue's expression changed dramatically, as the black haze finally reached the bottom of the valley, surging all around, with ghostly flames disappearing one after another into the black mist

The status of outer disciples is extremely low, and what they can learn are merely the most superficial techniques of the Sword Sect. Only by achieving spiritual cultivation can one become a registered inner disciple, taking the master of the inner sect as their mentor and receiving the true inheritance of the Sword Sect. However, for outer disciples without any background, how difficult it is to become a registered inner disciple?

The Demonic Soul Miasma occurs once every ten years, posing extreme danger. Even Qi Refinement practitioners face a gruesome death when encountering the Demonic Soul Miasma. Each outbreak of the Demonic Soul Miasma results in a bloodbath across a thousand miles, leaving no vegetation in its wake

The giant python hissed as it flicked its long tongue, ready to strike, when suddenly a dark haze enveloped it, swallowing the python whole

Amidst the mountains surrounded by a sea of clouds, magnificent and ancient halls appear to float above the clouds, exuding a sense of sanctity, solemnity, and grandeur

Zhong Yue bowed to the skeleton of the strange person, carefully raised his hand to take down the lamp. He noticed the flame flickering, on the verge of extinguishing, so he quickly shielded it with his hand. Suddenly, a lazy voice came through: "After several thousand autumns of great dreams, what year is it tonight? Young man, which dynasty is Fuxi currently ruling?"

Zhong Yue hails from the Zhongshan tribe, a rather insignificant small tribe. Due to years of disasters and famine, it has dwindled to just over a hundred individuals, making it arguably the smallest tribe in the vast wilderness

This is ... ...

The harsh environment of the Great Wilderness, coupled with the weakness of the human race, means that without the protection of the Sword Gate, it is feared that the three thousand tribes would have long since been reduced to ashes.

This medicinal fragrance comprises five distinct scents: sweet, fragrant, refreshing, fiery, and mellow, which are precisely the aromas of the Five-Spice Herb

Clear water slid off him, splashing on the blue stone slab of the picture book.

... ...

Other elixirs are easy to find, but this particular Five-Spice Mushroom is hard to come by, requiring a stroke of luck

Zhong Yue looked around and saw dark mist surging in, close at hand. He couldn't help but sigh, "This strange fog has devoured the golden bird and the giant python; I fear I too will surely meet my end... Huh, why has this black mist stopped moving?"

This is the skeletal remains of a creature with a human head and a serpent's body

Zhong Yue quietly shouldered the medicine basket and walked out of the mountain gate, heading down the mountain

Hoo.

Five-Spice Tofu

Zhong Yue gritted his teeth, released the branch, and his body immediately fell.

Before the four-winged golden bird swooped down, a fierce gale rushed towards him, striking his face painfully and nearly toppling Zhong Yue from the boulder

The four-winged golden bird screeched and soared into the sky, preparing to strike again. Zhong Yue gritted his teeth and slid down the green vines into the deep valley. Just as the four-winged golden bird reached mid-air, a rolling black haze suddenly surged in, enveloping the entire valley in an instant. Zhong Yue looked up, as if the sky had been covered with a black cloth.

With a loud crash, a snake bone measuring over ten zhang fell from the dark haze, plummeting into the valley along with Zhong Yue, one after the other

Zhong Yue saw that in the center of this small protective circle, there was a skeleton sitting in a lotus position. The right arm of the skeleton was raised, holding a lamp, seemingly illuminating the path for the people in the darkness

Zhong Yue felt a surge of joy in his heart as he carefully descended the cliff. Although the cliff was steep, his skills were exceptional, and there was not much danger involved.

Therefore, despite Zhong Yue's efforts being a hundred times greater than others, there remains a considerable gap between him and achieving spiritual enlightenment

The place where Zhong Yue went to gather medicinal herbs is called Juyun Mountain. Juyun Mountain is abundant in spiritual herbs and is located in the southeastern area of Jianmen Mountain. Over the past few years, he has been an outer disciple in Jianmen. Although he has not learned any profound techniques, he has strengthened his body, allowing him to leap over a distance of more than 3 meters in a single step, effortlessly traversing mountains and ridges.

There are many Qi Refiners in the Sword Gate, and three thousand tribes send their young men and women to the mountain to learn the arts. Those without a strong background mostly live here. In contrast, tribes with a background often have Qi Refiners within the Sword Gate, allowing them to directly send their offspring under their tutelage

Such a formidable display of readiness was seen for the first time by the outer disciples, yet it was not unfamiliar to the inner disciples

The sky has not yet brightened, and the vast wilderness of one hundred thousand miles is shrouded in darkness, yet the sunlight has already illuminated the summit of Jianmen Mountain. At the mountainside, wisps of clouds linger, and auspicious clouds float by, with the sunlight first falling upon the golden peak of the mountain.

Collecting herbs and refining elixirs by oneself entails significantly more time and hardship than that experienced by others

The reason it is called a "pan" is not because of crossed legs, but because this individual has no legs, only a long serpentine tail. The tail is coiled together, while his upper body is human-shaped, complete with a head, neck, hands, and arms

Amidst the black haze, there seemed to be terrifying creatures emitting spine-chilling roars. Occasionally, these beings would collide with the light barrier of Sword Gate Mountain, producing a series of dull, thunderous sounds, astonishing to the extreme

It is difficult for children from poor families to become distinguished individuals, and very few from impoverished households are able to become Qi Refiners

The four-winged golden bird swooped down, and at the moment it was about to strike, Zhong Yue hurriedly grabbed a few sprigs of five-spice fungus. He then leaped from the giant rock, and the large bird missed its target, flapping its four wings to take flight, searching all around. However, it found that Zhong Yue had not fallen off the cliff, but had instead caught hold of a green vine more than a yard away from the base of the giant rock.

The Golden Summit Glazed Hall radiates thousands of golden rays, illuminating the sea of clouds, and is exceedingly dazzling

Zhong Yue had left Jianmen Mountain for about two hours, and the sky was already bright. The disciples of the inner gate and the outer gate of Jianmen Mountain had all risen early, each engaged in their own cultivation. Suddenly, a hurried bell rang out from the mountain, and powerful Qi practitioners flew down from the peak, calling out loudly from a distance: "The demonic soul's sinister miasma is about to appear. All disciples of Jianmen, heed the command: no one is allowed to go outside!"

The black haze surged to within about 3 meters of him and suddenly stopped advancing, as if blocked by an invisible force, forming a hemispherical protective barrier.

At a distance of more than ten zhang from the cliff, there is a protruding giant rock, from which a thin stream of water seeps down the cliff face, nourishing several unusual plants.

He followed the scent and arrived at the edge of a cliff. Leaning down to look, he saw that the cliff was steep, with protruding rocks, and the valley below was deep and unfathomable.

After a moment, he arrived not far from the massive rock and looked down, only to see a deep valley shrouded in darkness, with a cold wind blowing upward from below, piercingly frigid