Chapter 32: Innate Awakening
It was an ancient Vicious Beast, white like silver light, covered in fur and horns, with a saber and a sword on its back.
The saber was like a fierce tiger, and the sword was like a Flying Phoenix.
Its arms were extraordinarily large, thick, and long, and its emerald eyes flickered with a cold light that interwoven multiple emotions: clarity, coldness, and enlightenment.
Devour it! Staring at the Vicious Beast's phantom, Ye Yang felt an empty, famished sensation.
Both sides lunged simultaneously. Just as they were about to collide, Ye Yang suddenly bent his knees, knelt, and leaned back, and the Vicious Beast swept over him.
Ye Yang flipped over, extended his arm, grabbed the Vicious Beast's long tail, and used the momentum to leap onto its head.
Only then did Ye Yang clearly see the appearance of this Vicious Beast.
Its fangs protruded, it resembled a white ape, a single horn grew from its head, and its eyes were emerald green. What was most impressive were the giant beast's arms.
Its left and right arms were extraordinarily large, thick, and long, with bulging muscles like granite, hard and distinct.
The silver-furred Vicious Beast rolled on the ground, let out a roar, and turned its head to bite Ye Yang, but Ye Yang was faster. He bit into the opponent's thick arms, which tore open, and a surge of primal essence Qi poured into Ye Yang's throat, spreading through his internal organs, boiling like fire, filling his entire body with energy, and his blood Qi surged.
The Vicious Beast kept roaring, frantically leaping, tumbling, and pouncing, but the person biting it was even more frantic. No matter how the white ape Vicious Beast leaped, tumbled, or pounced.
Ye Yang remained like a maggot on a bone, biting its flesh tightly, sucking fiercely like a Vicious Beast.
More and more of the primal and clear essence Qi flowed in. Ye Yang tilted his head and howled, but what came out were the roars of a Vicious Beast.
His entire body grew white fur, his arms became thick and hard, possessing infinite strength, a saber and sword grew on his back, sharp claws extended from his limbs, and fur covered his entire body. He bent down, used the strength in his legs, and leaped high into the air.
Ahead, distant mountains undulated, with thousands of peaks and valleys, layered ranges, thick ancient vines, and primitive ancient trees as thick as houses, reaching straight into the sky, into the clouds.
The ground was covered with shrubs, mottled moss, and lichens. The gnarled Old Persimmon Tree in this primeval forest, like a coiling Dragon, blotted out the sky, and knee-high wild grass swayed in the wind.
He spread his arms, as if he had become the son of the wind, climbing trees and leaping over streams in the primeval forest.
He ran nimbly, climbed over rugged rocks, walked past forest lakes, and ran towards the morning glow where the sun rose.
He was a tree, he was the wind, he was a Beast.
He was a piece of moss in the forest, and also an ant; he was the favored child and master of this vast wilderness!
Running! Winter passed and spring came, day and night alternated. He used his arms as weapons, fighting heaven and earth with saber and sword, climbing, leaping, preying on tigers and leopards, engaging in fierce battles, constantly running, completely forgetting everything from the past.
Until the silver-white fur on his body was no longer shiny, no longer glowing like white silk under the moonlight. His fur slowly became matted, dry, and curly.
His blood Qi began to wither, his arms were no longer thick and strong, and his eyes gradually became aged, no longer full of vitality.
...
He was old, nearing the end of his life, and would die of old age in this forest.
One day, he truly became old and his body was no longer agile. He rolled down a rugged mountain slope, fell into a stream, and splashed water.
He plunged down, the water rippled, and the silver moonlight shone on the clear water, the shimmering water surface cutting his aged reflection into fragments, flickering and swaying.
He suddenly froze.
He reached out and stroked the reflection on the water's surface; the reflection shattered, but in an instant, the ripples disappeared, and it returned to its original state, the old, emaciated reflection still clear.
Is this me? Ye Yang stared blankly.
Lost memories, like fragments, came rushing in, flickering and converging.
"In one's life, one must be a good person."
"We Cultivators, what do we fear of death? To be loyal to our sect, righteous and fearless."
His deceased father's words, taught to him in his youth, seemed to echo in his ears.
"The Twilight Danxia of Flying Heaven Gate truly lives up to its reputation as one of the Eight Sceneries of Yalong Ridge."
The beautiful scenery of the Flying Heaven Gate's main area, Twilight Danxia, with its vast sunset clouds, seemed to be right before his eyes.
Under the withered Old Persimmon Tree, a young man ceaselessly wielded his saber towards the Frost Wind Saber Technique.
In the Zhang Family's pavilion, the pleasant scent of the white-socked feet of that woman whose name he had forgotten.
And
His heart, excitedly about to leap out.
For countless days, regardless of hot or cold weather, he toiled, bare-shouldered, swinging his saber, enduring the hardships of Qi Refining.
Scene after scene, like a slideshow, flashed through his mind.
...
In the main hall, Ye Yang gestured with his hands, performing the Frost Wind Saber Technique. Years of Cultivation had ingrained the Frost Wind Saber Technique into his muscle memory, making it a part of his body.
Some Disciples who had woken up early saw him continuously waving his hand-saber, his brows sometimes furrowed, sometimes relaxed, his face full of struggle and pain. They all thought he had suffered a Qi Deviation and quickly moved several feet away from him.
...
"No, it's not me!"
Ye Yang stood upright.
"I am not a Vicious Beast!"
He shouted at his reflection in the water.
The thick, dense fur receded into his body, his claws and teeth retracted, his arms shrunk back to their normal size, his emerald eyes calmed, turning into black and white pupils, and that resolute and familiar face appeared, swaying in the water's light.
"I—am—Ye Yang!"
In his vision, ripples spread out in circles, and the surrounding scenery flickered and vanished. He slowly opened his eyes.
His father's figure, which he had not dreamt of for more than ten years, appeared in his mind.
Faint memories drifted through his mind, and a tear slid from Ye Yang's eyes.
"You were a good warrior, a great person, but, for the Family, you were not a good father."
Ye Yang murmured to himself, tears silently streaming from the corners of his eyes, but his father could no longer see them.
...
"The Innate Awakening was successful."
Ye Yang wiped away his tears, looked around, and let out a soft sigh of relief, feeling something indescribable and unclear added to his body.
Only then did he notice that the main hall was sparsely populated; many people had already left.
He looked up at the window and realized that it was already dark, a whole day had passed.
"Ancient aura, skilled in using saber and sword, seems to have an undeveloped Divine Ability of spiritual sight, it is... Huang High Grade."
A trace of surprise flashed in the Cultivator's eyes.
"So far, only a few Huang High Grade Innate Awakenings have occurred, which is considered a very good High Grade."
Upon hearing the Cultivator say this, Ye Yang felt a slight thrill in his heart.
He knew that he was not inherently intelligent, nor did he have the support of Family elders. His journey was largely due to his prudence and diligent Cultivation, which allowed him to gain a slight advantage among his peers.
He was already very satisfied to be able to Awaken a Huang High Grade Innate.
The path of immortality is difficult. In one's life, if one wishes to reach the peak, Innate is both important and not important.
Acquired opportunities, encounters, Luck, talent, and diligence are all crucial aspects.
In this world, there are those who Awaken Innate and stand proudly at the peak, and there are also Cultivators who have not Awakened Innate yet can defeat those with High Grade Innate, making them lose their armor and weapons.