River of Time
"Heaven Refining Demon Venerable, I must admit—"
Reckless Savage laughed loudly as Fang Yuan once again reflected his attack back to him, forcing Reckless Savage to dodge.
"You are truly interesting! Cooler than even me in some ways. Though you are thin and… somewhat ugly, I, Reckless Savage, declare that you are the second coolest Demon Venerable in history!"
Reckless Savage Venerable retreated as he exclaimed, his wild purple hair was dishelved, countless terrifying wounds was painted across his body. Countless refinement path dao marks pestered him. However, a giant grin was still plastered on his face.
He clicked his tongue regretfully.
"Such a pity."
He truly felt it was a loss.
In terms of coolness, this junior actually surpassed him.
The thought was unacceptable, yet strangely sincere.
He had already stopped his attacks, at this point, he just wanted to witness the end of Fang Yuan, the coolest man after him!
Reckless Savage looked at his surroundings, his battle intent surged, he was grinning widely at the thought of fighting these guys who shared the same status as him next, it filled him with the greatest excitement.
Back then when he attained his Venerable status, he was invincible. He was the strongest in the world. Nothing could face him.
No one could.
He roamed the world unhindered.
Even the number one super force of humanity Heavenly Court was boring.
He had roamed freely, eventually loneliness swallowed the thrill of battle.
He hated that emptiness.
He had already tasted the peak of supremacy.
There was no excitement left.
No tension.
No life that made the heart tighten like a drawn string.
He knew the heavens would never allow the rise of another Venerable while he was still around.
He had already seen fate, fate would simply not allow it.
So he started preparing for the great era, making and setting up his arrangements.
And now, finally the great era has arrived. His long wait was finally over. He the great Reckless Savage Demon Venerable can finally battle once more!
Fate has been destroyed.
The shackles restraining past Venerables had loosened, allowing them to return to this era.
And now infront of him stood the current Demon Venerable of this era, Fang Yuan. He stood tall despite his injuries, facing the attacks of the other Venerables.
"HAHA indeed Demon Venerables are cooler." Reckless Savage laughed as he crossed his arms, halting his attacks. Watching as the fight grew more tenser.
They had finally cornered him after a long fight.
Seven Venerables were currently present at this very moment, Seven! He was facing the joint forces of Seven Venerables and was actually holding the advantage most of the time.
Even he, the great Reckless Savage, could not help but praise him without reservation.
Men must be cool! And this junior—despite his ugly appearance—embodied that ideal.
He asked himself a question, could he do it? If he was in his position? Can he the great Reckless Savage face off and hold his own against this people? He grinned.
Of course he can.
However, he knew that the time wasn't ripe, he had just revived. Fighting them right now wasn't worth it. Despite his thirst for battle, he wasn't just a brute with no brains, he knew that in this contest of countless Venerables he was clearly behind as he had just revived.
Although he did not lack offensive capabilities thanks to his awesome planning, he knew that possessing a Rank 9 Gu alone even if it wasn't just any Gu—it being even the legendary Strength Gu, and the addition of the secluded domain of heaven and earth—Upslope Road and Downslope Road, doesn't mean he can just rampage to his hearts content.
He was still adjusting, a million years had passed. Even now, this Fang Yuan showed how countless different methods have emerged. He admitted that in a one on one, he was not his match. Many of his attacks made even him not have any other choice but to dodge.
Many of his methods were even unavailable due to the lack of Gu. Most of the Gu being in the possession of this junior.
It was just a shame this junior is dying soon..
"Sigh.."
"Heaven Refining Demon Venerable." Primordial Origin Immortal Venerable spoke gravely.
"Why walk such a path?"
"You are human too. Why shelter variant humans while slaughtering and plundering our kind."
"Now that I have returned—"
"I will end your life."
"And rebuild Heavenly Court upon your remains." Primordial Origin Immortal Venerable's voice echoed like ancient thunder.
Qi currents swirled around his wounded body, expanding into a vast, imposing storm that struck at Fang Yuan from every direction.
Even under the constraints of the countless Time Path Dao marks within the River of Time, Primordial Origin Immortal Venerable's assault still radiated profound might.
"Fang Yuan oh Fang Yuan, I admit. You are definitely worthy of being the number one demon of this world. You even managed to destroy my heavenly court." Star Constellation Immortal Venerable said.
"However, although I was defeated back then, outplayed by you, and allowed your devious schemes to ravage my Heavenly Court, that shame ends today. I shall use your corpse as nutrients to rebuild Heavenly Court." Star Constellation Immortal Venerable intoned gravely, his voice carrying the weight. "With us—the Three Heavenly Kings, Spectral Soul, Giant Sun, and Reckless Savage—do you truly think you can still escape?Give up!"
His voice itself was an attacks, it reverberated and affected the whole battlefield. Even Reckless Savage who had stopped attacking was stirred for a moment before breaking out.
In that instant, he unleashed two killer moves simultaneously, Book Mountain and Mental Domain forming the core of his assault. The air itself seemed to warp, bending under the force of his combined might.
Fang Yuan's gaze remained icy and unflinching. He defended, dodged, and countered with precision, each movement sharp and deliberate. His unyielding perseverance, moving like a shadow through the onslaught, left even the other Venerables in awe.
"I did not think that you, Fang Yuan, would push the cooperation of us Six Venerables to this extent. Truly comendable. You have fooled us over and over again, it is such a pity that you need to die now." Giant Sun Immortal Venerable decreed with a tinge of regret in his tone.
Fang Yuan did not speak, he responded through a compound killer move which actually made his luck gradually disappear over time!
No Venerable uttered a single word, as if a silent, tacit understanding had passed between them.
Attacks from different paths, each radiating immense power, poured down upon Fang Yuan. The River of Time churned violently, its waves clashing and splintering into countless fragments, splashing and spraying in chaotic torrents.
Giant Sun expression was pale, his entire combat system was based around his enormous luck. Fang Yuan having means to actually damage this was terrible.
Although he has extorted Fang yuan for some blood path Gu, and even completed his blood sea, it was still not enough. He still mainly use luck path as his main combat system.
To truly complete his blood path, many blood path Gu were still missing and Fang yuan has those, he even refined a rank 9 blood path Gu!
Giant Sun sighed inwardly and just took comfort at the thought of him having the chance to kill this demon and refine those blood path Gu himself! However Giant Sun still feel pained about not having the chance to obtain that rank 9 Gu..
Spectral soul was in a black soul like state, the injuries to his soul was sever but not to the point of having his life threatened with the other Venerables around.
His expression was not good. Among the other Venerables, he faced the greatest suppression from Fang Yuan's attacks, it carried the profoundities of the soul path secluded domain of heaven and earth!
Fang yuan's attacked carried weight and no reservation, as if he was attacking him with those attacks simply with the use of Gu.
Although he have the rank 9 Kill Gu, it was still not enough. The other Venerables simply did not let him develop after regaining his sanity.
And he was not willing to lay all his cards and exert himself far more than he needed to let on, he could use a rank 9 kill path killer move and severely damage fang yuan or maybe even end him but what about after that?
Will the Venerables simply let him off? Unlike them he doesn't have a base, he haven't even refine a sizable amount of dao marks in the outside world. Spectral haven was basically fragmented at this point, being the only battlefield the Venerables has whenever they face off.
"Everyone, let's finish this. Do not let this demon escape again. Friend Reckless Savage! We have underestimated him for the last time. We shall think of the bigger picture and give everything we have—let's bring this demon down." Genesis Lotus Immortal Venerable intoned with finality.
His Heavenly Court had already suffered too much at the hands of this demon. He would take no chances. While he Genesis Lotus was almost out of immortal essence, this demon has his previous vital Gu and it is a Heavenly Essence Treasure Imperial Lotus! rank 9!
He the greatest and richest Venerable in history interms of Immortal essence was actually experiencing such a thing!
With that resolve, Genesis Lotus Immortal Venerable prepared to unleash a Painting Path immortal killer move, ready to strike—when…
The River of Time suddenly surged, its chaotic tides already clashing in violent disorder. Waves of past and future smashed into one another, splintering into countless shards of distorted moments.
Then, without warning, the turbulence intensified.
The currents began to fold over themselves unnaturally, spirals forming where there should have been none. Time fragments that once scattered randomly now twisted in unified arcs, colliding with precise brutality. Entire stretches of the river abruptly accelerated, while others compressed, as though seized and wrung by an invisible grip.
The sudden shift did not escape the Venerables. All of them halted their attacks, pouring most of their focus on defence. Their expressions sharpened as their gazes locked onto Fang Yuan in unison. Preparing their strongest attacks silently, ready to unleash it at the perfect moment.
Every subtle movement of his sleeves, every flicker in his eyes, every ripple of immortal essence around him was observed without the slightest oversight. Not a single detail was spared.
They would not allow another unforeseen variable to arise. If even the faintest anomaly appeared, they were prepared to suppress it instantly.
In that tense moment, all attention converged upon Fang Yuan alone.
Fang Yuan smiled, he stood tall and unyielding. His white robe was already drenched in blood, riddled with tears and hanging in tatters. His body was covered in grave wounds coming from different paths, dao marks of different path assaulted him.
Various immortal healing killer moves were unleashed in succession, rapidly consuming immortal essence.
His pale skin was stained with blood, wounds layering over one another without pause.
Yet his expression did not change.
Within his eyes, there was no anger, no panic — only a deep, calculating coldness.
As if even the approaching death before him was merely another variable to be weighed.
His long hair was strangely turning white, it trailed behind him, stirred by the restless currents of the River of Time, flowing in quiet rhythm with the temporal tides.
The Six Venerables encircled him from all sides.
To them, his death here was a foregone conclusion. With Fate Gu destroyed, the River of Time had descended into wild chaos, its currents violent and unpredictable. The Spring Autumn Cicada could no longer be used. They held no concern about it, certain it would not alter the outcome.
Fang Yuan calmly assessed his situation.His immortal essence recovery was steady and sufficient under normal circumstances. However, the continuous activation of high-rank killer moves carried an overwhelming cost. The balance between recovery and expenditure was gradually collapsing.
Furthermore, he had already unleashed all of his new compound killer moves, same for his trumpcards, the Venerables had started putting up some countermeasures for it.
Even so
His gaze was tranquil, eyes like the depths of an ancient well—dark, still, and seemingly without end.
He recalled his first rebirth.
Back then, he had been nothing more than a Rank Six Blood Path Gu Immortal. After refining the Spring Autumn Cicada, he was besieged by countless enemies and driven to the edge of a cliff.
Only much later did he understand—it had all been a scheme of Heaven's Will.
At that time, he had already been nothing more than a chess piece on another's board.
A pawn.
A tool manipulated by Heaven's Will and the Venerables alike, moved at their whim to fulfill their designs.
But that was long ago.
He was no longer a pawn.
No longer a piece to be shifted at another's convenience.
He had become a player.
He had ascended to the peak.
The Eleventh Venerable in the history of the Gu world—
Heaven Refining Demon Venerable.
Suddenly—
The already tumultuous River of Time reacted. As if something deep within it's chaotic currents had awakened.
The Venerables were alerted.
The chaos of the River of Time was not random.
It was being guided.
At the next moment there was a loud sound, as countless chaotic waves surged and attacked the Venerables! The chaotic waters seemingly guided by a mysterious force.
The surrounding river slammed and encircled the Venerables, before any of them could react.
All they could do was activate various defensive killer moves atop the ones they already had. They were furious, they knew the culprit behind it.
"Fang Yuan!" The Thre Heavenly kings and Giant Sun shouted,
While Reckless Savage was laughing wildly, Indeed! This was the coolest battle ever!
Spectral Soul gaze was eery as all they saw was a smirk before darkness englufed fhem.
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AN: I actually wrote this quite a while ago, however life suddenly got busy and I didn't have much time to actually continue this and thus ended up being just drafts and not seeing the light of day.
Then lately some RI fic bangers dropped and I had some time to read it, which suddenly got me motivated and just thought why not post it?
No promises guys but I'll try to continue this and write from time to time since I have work now so enjoy.