Chapter 2

According to legend, there exists a River of Time in this world, supporting its flow. By using the power of the Spring and Autumn Cicada, one can go against the current and return to the past.

People have various opinions about this legend. Many do not believe it, while others are skeptical.

Almost no one truly believes it.

Because every time the Spring and Autumn Cicada is used, one must pay with their life, sacrificing their entire body and all their cultivation as the driving force.

The price is too high, and even more unacceptable is that after paying with one's life, the outcome is often unknown.

Even if someone obtains the Spring and Autumn Cicada, they dare not use it casually.

What if the legend is false, just a deception?

If it weren't for Fang Yuan being in a desperate situation, he wouldn't have used it so quickly.

But now, Fang Yuan is thoroughly convinced.

Because the irrefutable fact is right before his eyes—he has indeed been reborn!

"Unfortunately, this excellent charm is gone. It took great effort to slaughter tens of thousands of people, causing heaven and earth to rage, and enduring great hardships to refine it..." Fang Yuan sighed inwardly. Although he has been reborn, the Spring and Autumn Cicada did not come with him.

Humans are the most intelligent of all beings, and charms are the essence of heaven and earth.

Charms are varied and countless. Some charms dissipate after one or two uses, while others can be reused as long as they are not overused.

Perhaps the Spring and Autumn Cicada is one of those charms that can only be used once.

"But even if it's gone, I can refine another one. If I could do it in my previous life, why can't I do it in this one?" After feeling regret, Fang Yuan's heart was filled with a sense of ambition and heroism.

Being able to be reborn, the loss of the Spring and Autumn Cicada is completely acceptable.

Moreover, he still possesses a treasure, not being completely empty-handed.

This treasure is his five hundred years of memory and experience.

His memory contains countless treasures that no one has yet discovered. It contains major events that allow him to easily grasp the historical trends. It contains countless figures, some of whom are senior hermits, some are talented geniuses, and some have not even been born yet. It also contains the heavy experiences of five hundred years of arduous cultivation and rich combat experience.

With these, he undoubtedly has a grasp on the overall situation and a head start. As long as he operates well, dominating the world and recreating the grandeur of a great demon and hero is not a problem, and he can even advance further to reach a higher realm!

"So, how should I operate..." Fang Yuan was very rational, quickly putting aside his emotions and pondering in the rain outside the window.

Thinking about it, he felt a myriad of thoughts.

After a moment of thought, his brows furrowed deeper.

Five hundred years is a long time. Not to mention the vague memories that he can't recall, even the treasures and opportunities he remembers are either far away or can only be accessed at specific times.

"The most critical thing is cultivation. I haven't opened my Primordial Sea yet, and I haven't even stepped onto the path of a charm master, so I'm just an ordinary person! I must cultivate as soon as possible, increase my cultivation, and seize the opportunities before history unfolds, reaping as many benefits as possible."

Moreover, many treasures cannot be digested even if obtained without sufficient cultivation. They would be more of a burden, inviting trouble.

The first challenge facing Fang Yuan is cultivation.

He must quickly improve his cultivation. If he progresses as slowly as in his previous life, it will be too late.

"To quickly improve my cultivation, I must rely on the family's resources. In my current situation, I have no ability to navigate the perilous mountains, where even an ordinary mountain pig could take my life. If I can reach the Third Transformation level of a charm master, I will have the basic ability to protect myself and traverse this world."

From the perspective of a great demon who has cultivated for five hundred years, Qingmao Mountain is really too small, and Guyue Village is more like a prison.

However, while a prison confines freedom, a solid prison often represents a certain kind of safety.

"Hmph, for the time being, I'll just stir up some trouble in this prison. Once I reach the Third Transformation, I'll leave this remote and impoverished place. Fortunately, the Opening Ceremony is tomorrow, and soon after, I can officially begin my cultivation as a charm master."

Thinking of the Opening Ceremony, the long-buried memories in Fang Yuan's heart surfaced.

"Potential..." Looking out the window, he couldn't help but sneer three times.

At that moment, the door was gently pushed open, and a young man walked in.

"Brother, why are you standing by the window in the rain?"

The young man was slender, slightly shorter than Fang Yuan, and his face resembled Fang Yuan's.

Fang Yuan turned to look at the young man, 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, looking at his toes, a signature move of his: "I saw that your window was open and wanted to come in quietly to close it. Tomorrow is the Opening Ceremony, and if Uncle and Aunt find out that you're not resting this late, they'll be worried."

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

Sometimes he thought that maybe geniuses were just different. Although he and his brother had very similar appearances, he felt as ordinary as an ant.

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

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

Uncle and Aunt often taught him to learn from his brother.

Even when he looked in the mirror, he sometimes felt disgust at his own face!

These thoughts had accumulated over many years, like a heavy stone pressing on his chest. Over the years, Fang Zheng's head hung lower, and he became increasingly silent.

"Worried..." Thinking of Uncle and Aunt, Fang Yuan let out a silent sneer in his heart.

He remembered clearly that his parents had both perished in a family mission when he was three, leaving him and his brother orphans.

Under the guise of raising them, Uncle and Aunt had openly taken over his parents' inheritance and treated him and his brother harshly.

As a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which can be translated as "穿越者" in English, but in this context, it means "a person who has traveled through time or dimensions"), he had originally planned to keep a low profile. However, the hardships of life forced Fang Yuan to display his "talent" that was different from ordinary people.

What was called a genius was actually just the rationality of a mature soul and a few timeless Tang and Song poems from Earth.

Even this small display of talent was hailed as divine and received widespread attention. Under external pressure, the young Fang Yuan had to adopt a cold expression to protect himself and reduce the risk of being exposed.

Over time, coldness became his habitual expression.

Thus, Uncle and Aunt could no longer treat him and his brother harshly. As he grew older and his prospects became more promising, his treatment improved.

However, this was not out of love, but as an investment.

It was laughable that his brother, who hadn't seen through this truth, was deceived by Uncle and Aunt and harbored resentment against him. Despite his current meek and honest appearance, after being measured as having top-tier potential and receiving extensive cultivation from the family, his hidden hatred and jealousy were unleashed, and he didn't spare his own brother from targeting, bullying, and suppressing him.

As for his own potential...

Ha, the highest was only a C-grade.

Fate always likes to play tricks.

Born as twins, the brother with C-grade potential enjoyed the name of a genius for over a decade, while the younger brother, who was unknown, had A-grade potential.

The results of the Opening Ceremony shocked the clan. It completely reversed the brothers' situations and treatments.

The younger brother rose like a dragon, while the older brother fell like a phoenix.

After that, the younger brother's bullying, Uncle and Aunt's cold looks, and the clan's disdain followed.

Hate?

Fang Yuan hated in his previous life, hating his lack of potential, the clan's lack of emotion, and the unfairness of fate.

But now, with five hundred years of life experience, he re-examined this journey and felt no hatred.

What was there to hate?

Putting himself in their shoes, he could understand his brother, Uncle and Aunt, and the righteous enemies who attacked him five hundred years later.

Survival of the fittest and the survival of the adaptable are the essence of this world.

Moreover, everyone has their own aspirations, all striving for that sliver of opportunity. Why wouldn't they suppress and kill each other?

Five hundred years of experience had long made him see through all of this, with only the path to immortality in his heart.

If anyone stood in the way of his pursuit, no matter who it was, it would be a matter of life and death.

With such grand ambitions, stepping onto this path meant being the enemy of the world, destined to walk alone, and destined to face countless battles.

This is the enlightenment condensed from five hundred years of life.

"Revenge is not my plan, and the path of evil has never known compromise." Thinking of this, Fang Yuan couldn't help but laugh. He turned to his brother and gave him a faint look, saying, "You may leave."

Fang Zheng couldn't help but feel a chill, feeling his brother's gaze as sharp as an ice blade, seemingly piercing through to the depths of his heart.

Under such a gaze, he felt as if he were naked in the snow, with no secrets to hide.

"See you tomorrow, brother." He didn't dare to say more, slowly closing the door and retreating.

(Thank you to the friends who supported me with donations: Ai GML, Bao Lu Chigua, Ming Xiao Yan Yu 0525. Thank you to the two classmates who gave me perfect review votes: Wang Shang Fei De Zhu, Meng Li Jing Hong Zhao Ying. Your support has been my greatest inspiration and motivation. Thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and voting for me.)

(During the new book period, I will update steadily. Currently, I update twice a day, at 8 AM and 2 PM.)

(There is also a notice: the book group for my old book "The Supreme Charm Master" will be changed. The original "The Supreme Charm Master" Group 1 and Group 2 will become "The True Charm Master" Group 1 and Group 2, and the original "The Supreme Charm Master" VIP group will become "The True Charm Master" Group 3. For about 40 days, I will personally manage the group. So, during the holidays, please old friends, say hello. This is not a difficult task. On the day the book goes on sale, I will conduct a general cleanup, removing those who have never spoken. At the same time, I will set up a "The True Charm Master" VIP group, which will require a subscription verification.)

{Piaotian Literature}