Volume One: The Celestial Path Sect Chapter Seven: Chen Fangyu vs. The Battle Beast

As Chen Fangyu searched around for the source of the sound, deep within the ancient battlefield shrouded in thick smoke, a massive, indistinct black shadow appeared through the mist, slowly approaching him.

“Boom, boom!” The sound resembled a primordial beast in motion. Before Chen Fangyu could make out its form, a deafening roar and overwhelming pressure crashed toward him.

Now possessing only the strength of a Sword Disciple at the third stage, the Heavenly Dao Sect sword at his waist felt insignificant in his hands. One hand gripped a great iron sword tightly, while the other clenched the hilt of the sect sword; cold sweat unconsciously broke out on his palm.

“Howl!” The resonant cry of the ancient beast emerged from the fog. Its entire body resembled a wild boar—blue-faced with tusks, easily seven or eight times Chen Fangyu’s size. Two round, bulging eyes looked down upon him with a commanding gaze.

Fear seized Chen Fangyu as he stared at the fearsome creature, unsure how to proceed.

At that moment, a spark of battle intent gleamed in the beast’s eyes. Seeing the crimson glow emanating from the great iron sword in Chen Fangyu’s hand, it seemed to recognize a warrior allied with the middle lands, stirred to fight the divine race. Noticing the sword held firmly by Chen Fangyu, the beast deliberately sought combat, testing his strength.

Chen Fangyu did not dare be negligent. Seeing the beast’s intention was to spar rather than attack outright, he felt his hostility slightly abate.

He raised his sword defensively, the crimson iron blade weaving a brilliant arc in the air. But suddenly, his grip slipped, and the great iron sword slipped from his hand, causing the beast to wear a mocking expression.

Somewhat embarrassed, Chen Fangyu retrieved the great iron sword. The beast crouched low, cautiously approaching.

“Roar!” The beast growled as if to tease its prey, causing Chen Fangyu to step back two paces in fright. The beast seized the moment and charged with full force.

Caught off guard, Chen Fangyu barely managed to raise his great iron sword to block. The beast’s sharp tusks struck the blade, and Chen Fangyu was sent flying along with his sword, leaving a long scratch etched into the ground where he had been.

At that instant, the beast seemed to rekindle the fierce passion of its ancient hunting days. Behind it, a faint spectral image of the beast’s will—once companion to Emperor Daojie in battle—manifested, serving as its backdrop. Chen Fangyu, unwilling to be ridiculed, summoned his remaining defiance and courage to face the beast boldly.

The victorious beast pawed the earth with its hind legs, gathering strength for a second strike aimed at Chen Fangyu. Remaining cautious, Chen Fangyu adjusted his sword grip, preparing for the next assault.

“Roar!” The beast launched its second attack. Behind it, the ghostly figure of the ancient war beast that had accompanied Emperor Daojie in battles against the divine race emerged. As the beast’s primeval clan blood awakened, it grew even more valiant and fiercely determined.

“This is the ancient battlefield from the time of the human-divine wars, where the war beast that followed Emperor Daojie fought the divine race. Dispatch heavenly soldiers to investigate immediately,” came the command from the northeast palace region of the middle lands, where Chen Zhizui’s faction perceived the rising will and pressure emanating from the southern central lands.

Numerous talented cultivators serving the current emperor projected their images above the ancient battlefield. Observing Chen Fangyu battling a descendant of the war beast, they noticed the spectral will of the ancient war beast trailing behind, its cold eyes fixed on the duel.

“Stop!” Suddenly, a voice startled both Chen Fangyu and the beast. In the heat of the fight, the beast’s sharp tusks and hard skull collided with Chen Fangyu, who barely managed to block with his great iron sword but was still knocked flying again.

Chen Fangyu half-kneeling, propping himself up with the great iron sword, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, sustained serious injuries. Hearing the voice from above, he looked up to see a mirage in the sky—a white-haired elder addressing him:

“Fellow cultivator, the beast before you is a descendant of the war beast that once fought alongside the third emperor of the middle lands, Emperor Daojie, against the divine race. This ancient battlefield is a sacred place protected by the current emperor. Outsiders are forbidden to disturb it. I ask you to withdraw and not disturb the rest of the ancestors.”

After hearing the elder’s words, Chen Fangyu stood, bowed respectfully toward the figure in the sky, and limped away from the ancient battlefield.

The war beast, seeing Chen Fangyu depart, returned listlessly to the smoky depths. The spectral image in the sky, upon witnessing the departure of Chen Fangyu and the beast’s descendant, swept its sleeve, and the mirage dissipated into a wisp of blue smoke, vanishing without a trace.

“Have you learned anything from the investigation?” The white-haired elder withdrew his attention from the battlefield and entered the imperial court of the middle lands. Emperor Chen Zhizui, the fifth emperor, sat on the throne surrounded by civil and military officials. As the court’s national adviser, the elder reported the strange phenomena arising in the ancient battlefield from the era of Emperor Daojie.

“Your Majesty, I went to the tombs of the middle lands’ previous emperor and discovered a young cultivator trespassing into the ancient battlefield. There, he encountered a descendant of the war beast that followed the former emperor in battle, which triggered some anomalies within the battlefield,” the national adviser reported.

“Oh? Is that so? Tell me more. Who is this young cultivator, and how did he fare against the war beast’s descendant?” Emperor Chen Zhizui, clad in imperial robes and crown, showed some interest.

“When I arrived, the young cultivator was already engaged in combat with the beast’s descendant. The beast had awakened its ancestral will, and the youth was slightly outmatched. I intervened, and the young man has since withdrawn from the ancient battlefield,” the adviser replied.

“Hmph, just a misunderstanding. It’s good that nothing serious happened. Everyone, court is dismissed. We will discuss further matters tomorrow,” Chen Zhizui said, dismissing the officials.

After leaving the ancient battlefield, Chen Fangyu, though injured, noticed a dusty sapling of the Vermilion Fruit tree by the riverside. Lonely and solitary, the tree bore a single bright red fruit.

He plucked the fruit, wiped off the dust with his clothes, and bit into it. The sweet and fragrant taste instantly infused his palate with a refreshing sweetness.

The internal organs harmonized—beneath the water and grain lies vitality throughout the bones.

A century of bitter cultivation culminates in a single moment of enlightenment; a lone tree blossoms, forging a fateful bond.

After consuming the Vermilion Fruit, Chen Fangyu found a cave near a pile of abandoned artificial intelligence machines to rest.

As late autumn swept across the land, dry leaves scattered with the wind. Sitting within the cave, the spiritual energy of the Vermilion Fruit permeated him like a gentle stream, flowing into his dantian.

His former sword cultivation, once somewhat stagnant, began to loosen. Nourished by the fruit’s essence, his strength increased—not the frail, helpless figure he once was, but now invigorated. This nourishment enabled his sword cultivation to break through once more, ascending to the fourth stage of the Sword Disciple.