Ficool

Chapter 17 - Chapter 17 – Black Omen

Chapter 17 – Black Omen

As the sky above the Domain Zhi slowly filled with the soft purple hue of twilight, one of the two remaining Heavenly Spiritual Fruits finally began to move.

But not toward the peak of Mount Lihai, where the strongest candidates gathered, instead… toward the east.

"Hah? That's… where to?" a male disciple's voice sounded nervous.

"Don't tell me… not to the peak?" another responded, frowning.

All eyes turned, tracing the path of the Three Colored Spiritual Fruit, glowing in blue, yellow, and red, as it now drifted steadily toward the eastern side of the Domain Zhi, near the silent slopes of Mount Lihai.

There, stood a young man. No threatening aura, no dazzling radiance. He was not even among the ranks of the favored disciples.

His black hair was tied simply, his handsome face bearing firm yet gentle lines. He wore a plain gray robe, showing no status or influence. But his eyes… calm, deep, and carrying something difficult to describe.

As the Three Colored Spiritual Fruit stopped before him and began circling his body slowly, the young man frowned.

"…Why me?" he murmured, almost inaudible.

He looked at the fruit with astonishment, even a little nervousness, as if unable to believe he was chosen by one of the greatest fruits in existence.

"Who is he?" some disciples whispered from afar.

"His name was never even mentioned…"

"Don't tell me he is just… an ordinary disciple?"

But no one knew the answer.

Meanwhile, the fruit kept glowing, slowly merging with the young man's body. In an instant, its three colored light flowed into him, then… stilled. Calm. As though it had found its place.

The elders in the stone tower gave no comment. They only watched, noted, and kept their astonishment in silence.

Then…

All heads turned at once.

There was still one fruit left, the Seven Layered Black Light Spiritual Fruit. The fruit that from the beginning spread a cold aura and suffocating pressure, now stood alone in the sky.

Unmoving.

Not yet choosing.

As if waiting for something yet to arrive.

The tension grew heavier, not only in the Domain Zhi, but beyond. In Yunboa Village, the Lawzi family gathered in the courtyard, gazing at the sky that reflected the spiritual light from afar.

"Still not choosing," Tsai Mianzu said softly, her arms folded.

Lawzi Kunren stared silently at the reflection in the sky. "That fruit is strange. From the beginning it felt different from the others…"

Zienxi sat cross legged among them, his eyes fixed on the Spiritual Mirror. His gaze was filled with questions, and also hope.

"Is it… searching for someone like that man earlier?" he whispered in his heart.

The fruit remained still. Its black layers of light spun slowly, nearly unmoving. But its pressure now grew sharper. As if testing all within the selection field. Sorting.

The first stage of selection was not yet over.

However… time kept flowing. And everyone knew when the Seven Layered Black Light Spiritual Fruit finally moved, the world would witness something never before seen.

In the sky, the Seven Layered Black Light Spiritual Fruit began to tremble.

At first the vibration was faint, almost invisible. But soon, layers of black light spread slowly from its core, forming dense waves that rippled like ink dripping onto water's surface.

A suffocating aura quickly spread.

"Ughhh… this aura…" one disciple gasped, clutching his chest.

Some who stood near the fruit even stepped back, their instincts screaming danger. Their eyes widened not in awe, but in fear creeping without clear reason.

"Is… this really just a spiritual fruit?" an elder muttered from afar with doubtful tone.

Those at the peak of Mount Lihai, who had been the focus and hope from the beginning, now began to exchange glances. Without needing words, they reached the same decision.

"…We descend," one of them said, his voice firm yet cautious.

"Agreed. This aura is not normal," another replied, gripping his weapon tightly.

Mount Lihai, which once held many obstacles, had turned calm again. Spiritual mists faded, winds softened, and the descending paths opened wide. No barriers remained.

With careful steps, the chosen candidates one by one left the peak. They descended slowly but steadily, making sure no gap in the terrain would trap them.

When they reached the foot of the mountain still within the protective domain of Zhi yet far enough from the core of power, they halted.

At once, their eyes widened.

The Seven Layered Black Light Spiritual Fruit now trembled even more fiercely. Its black light pulsed in seven layers of shadow, moving up and down like a violently beating heart.

Winds around it shifted. The ground quivered slightly. The sky grew darker, though the sun had not yet set.

Among the crowd of disciples, several notable figures now watched with deep attention.

Yuji Daofei stood firm, his eyes narrowing at the sky. His expression remained cold, but his right hand clenched.

Beside him, Yun Xiwe grasped her sleeve tightly, her face full of questions.

"…That fruit…" she whispered faintly. "As if… angry?"

Xieyi Zui, usually calm, could not hide the worry on her face. "Why… does its aura feel like rejecting everyone?"

Wang Xuei stared at the sky with a faint smile. "Or… perhaps it is choosing someone not yet revealed."

Jia Wei folded her arms. "Then let us wait. Whoever it chooses… must be extraordinary."

Jia Yuwei stood not far from her sister, her eyes deep upon the fruit. "Or instead… dangerous."

Elsewhere, We Jita and Fang Sei stood on guard, their expressions sharp like eagles. Hui Baifa, unlike the others, only smiled wickedly.

"Interesting…" he murmured. "I cannot wait to see who this fruit will destroy first."

Other disciples, though unnamed, also stared at the sky. No voices, only the sound of their own breaths and heartbeats echoing within.

Beyond the Domain Zhi, the tension was no less heavy.

People from various lands watching the selection through magical mediums or spiritual reflections now stood frozen, silent. Elders of sects, nobles, even common merchants all fixed their eyes on the sky.

"That fruit…" a cultivator from Holuang City muttered. "Not only has it not chosen… it is awakening."

"Awakening?" an elder from Luwe Village asked. "What do you mean?"

"That fruit… is not just a testing tool," he said with heavy breath. "It is a being. Or… something more."

All waited. No one knew what would happen.

But one thing was clear, when the Seven Layered Black Light Spiritual Fruit finally chose, it would not only change the fate of the chosen… but might alter the course of the world.

The tremors of the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit of Seven Black Layers grew more intense. Dense black aura flowed from its surface, spinning slowly yet carrying a suffocating power. All disciples and observers across the Domain Zhi held their breath, feeling pressure piercing to their bones.

The elders of the Seven Faced Leaf Sect exchanged glances. Their brows furrowed deep, sensing extraordinary tension. Something unusual was occurring, something even they who had cultivated for decades could not fully understand.

"The tremor… it deepens," Elder Meihan muttered.

"Is that Fruit… about to choose?" Elder Ghou said, his eyes fixed sharply on the peak of Mount Lihai now cloaked in black mist.

The first stage of selection was nearly at its end. Yet at that moment, the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit of Seven Black Layers suddenly erupted violently. A deep rumble, like thunder from within the earth, resounded from Mount Lihai. The sky above the Domain Zhi turned pitch black, thick clouds gathering into a massive vortex.

"The sky changes!"

"What is happening?!"

Everyone within the Domain Zhi was shocked, panic spreading throughout. Those outside the Domain Zhi were equally tense and confused, watching the sky from afar with worried faces.

"Evacuate! Evacuate all participants immediately!" shouted the chief Elder of the Seven Faced Leaf Sect.

Orders spread quickly. Senior disciples of the Seven Faced Leaf Sect began evacuating hundreds of disciples near Mount Lihai through the vortex that served as the entrance to the Domain Zhi. Some were successfully brought to safety, but others resisted and refused to leave.

Among those yet to be evacuated were Yuji Daofei, Fang Sei, Yun Xiwe, Jia Wei, Jia Yuwei, Xieyi Zui, and several others. They stood frozen, their eyes still fixed on the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit, as if entranced by its power.

"Why has that Fruit… not chosen yet?" Yun Xiwe said softly.

"Is it angry… or… selecting something else?" Jia Yuwei added, gripping her sister's hand tightly.

Suddenly, the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit of Seven Black Layers burst forth with an overwhelming aura. Waves of black energy spread in a silent explosion that shook the earth. The sound was not heard by ears, but felt by the souls of all within the Domain Zhi.

That aura surged outward, breaking past the boundaries and reaching the distant nation of Guhawe. High level cultivators across the land felt the explosion of aura and were astonished.

In Yunboa Village, the Lawzi family sensed something unusual. Lawzi Jeu stopped in his tracks and gazed at the sky.

"Zienxi…" he whispered.

More Chapters